Pat Sullivan steps down from Samford football coach position

Samford Head Football Coach Pat Sullivan has decided to step down from his position and move into another role within the university immediately, the school announced Dec. 2.

Sullivan, the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner as a player at Auburn, recently completed his eighth season as Samford’s head football coach. He is the program’s all-time leader in career wins. He has led the team to four-straight winning seasons for the first time since 1999, and the Bulldogs have won at least seven games for three-straight seasons for the first time since 1962.

In 2013, Sullivan led the Bulldogs to their first Southern Conference championship since joining the league in 2008. The team also earned the program’s first bid to the NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs since 1992.

In addition to his successes on the field, Sullivan has excelled at developing student-athletes and making a positive impact on the lives of his players. Throughout his time on the coaching staffs at Auburn, TCU, UAB and Samford, Sullivan has mentored young men for nearly 30 years.

“I have loved working with Samford’s young men, helping them grow as football players, as student-athletes and spiritually,” Sullivan said. “The past couple of years have been difficult. I’ve been dealing with health issues, more than I would have liked. Our young men have never blinked. This coaching staff never blinked. I am so proud of each and every member of the Samford football program.”

Sullivan will now serve as Samford President Dr. Andrew Westmoreland’s special advisor for campus and community development where he will, among other things, serve as a university ambassador working to extend Samford’s reach in the state of Alabama and beyond.

The search for Sullivan’s successor will begin immediately, and Sullivan will be involved in the process.

During the 2014 season, Samford renamed its football field house the Sullivan-Cooney Family Field House to honor Sullivan, his wife Jean and their family.