N’Western Fires Coach Who Strolls Byrdsong To Let Players Decide If He Coaches Final Seven Games

Ricky By- rdsong was fired Monday as basketball coach of struggling Northwestern but will remain on the job through the end of the season - unless his players want him to leave sooner.

“We are concerned with the lack of progress the men’s basketball team has made during the past three years,” athletic director Rick Taylor said.

Byrdsong, 40, did not attend the news conference but released a statement that he would let his players decide whether he coaches the Wildcats’ final seven games of the season. The 6-16, 1-10 Wildcats are at Ohio State Thursday.

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance,” Byrdsong said in the statement, quoting the Bible.

Now in his fourth season, the easygoing Byrdsong is 33-72.

In February 1994, he took his infamous stroll, leaving the team’s bench during a game at Minnesota, wandering into the stands and slapping hands with Gophers fans and their mascot.