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Georgia Southern fires head coach Chad Lunsford

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Chad Lunsford, head coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles looks on during the fourth quarter of the 2019 Cure Bowl against the Liberty Flames at Exploria Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Chad Lunsford, head coach of the Georgia Southern, looks on during the fourth quarter of the 2019 Cure Bowl against Liberty in Orlando. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) (James Gilbert via Getty Images)

Georgia Southern is parting ways with head coach Chad Lunsford, sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Eagles fell to 1-3 after losing to Louisiana on Saturday, the school’s third consecutive loss.

Lunsford exits the school amid his fourth full-time season with a record of 28-21. He took over as the interim coach at Georgia Southern in 2017 and held onto the job.

Georgia Southern got blown out at FAU and at Arkansas before falling at home to Louisiana in the school’s Sun Belt opener.

Georgia Southern officials made the move in a quest to help the Eagles gain a clearer identity. The school won six FCS national titles, the last of which came in 2000.

Georgia Southern is hoping to find a coach who can rekindle its rich history and exploit its fertile recruiting area, as the school has raised significant money in the past year and is ready to continue a strong financial commitment to football.

Georgia Southern went 10-3 under Lunsford in 2018, but has since lost traction in the Sun Belt. Programs like Coastal Carolina and Louisiana rising in recent seasons to join Appalachian State atop the league’s standings.

The move is to help propel the school back toward the top of the league. The Eagles had reached bowl games in Lunsford’s three full-time seasons.

Georgia Southern is expected to conduct a national search. It’s the third job opening in college football this season, joining Connecticut and USC.