Chaump New Navy Football Coach

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —  Marshall University Coach George Chaump, who has never had a losing season in eight years of college coaching, was named today as the Naval Academy’s 33rd head football coach.

Chaump, 53, has been head coach at Marshall for four seasons, compiling a 33-16-1 record.

The new coach will replace Elliott Uzelac, who was fired by Navy last month. Navy hasn’t had a winning season since the Middies went 6-5 in 1982. They were 3-8 last season.

Former Detroit Lions Coach Darryl Rogers, William & Mary Head Coach Jimmye Laycock and Virginia assistant Tom O’Brien had been considered for the job, Navy spokesman Tom Bates said.

Former Phoenix Cardinals Coach Gene Stallings withdrew from consideration after visiting the campus on Saturday because the Naval Academy wanted a longer commitment from him than he was willing to make, Bates said.

“His winning percentage of 74% as a head coach speaks for itself,” Naval Academy Athletic Director Jack Lengyel said in a statement today. “He coaches an exciting brand of football, and I’m confident the Midshipmen will enjoy playing under his leadership.”

Lengyel had hoped to have the new coach hired in time to meet a group of about 20 recruits scheduled to visit the academy grounds next weekend, it said.

Lengyel began conducting a series of meetings to determine the academy’s course of action almost immediately upon Stallings’ departure Saturday.

Chaump came to Annapolis for his interview Thursday and is believed to have scored high marks for his wide-open offensive philosophy, which has produced 138 school, Southern Conference and NCAA records during his short tenure at Marshall.

He also shares a similar background with Lengyel, who coached the Thundering Herd for four seasons from 1971 to ’74.

“I am very interested,” Chaump said last week. “The prestige, the honor and all the other things that go with the Naval Academy. . . . There’s more substance to it than just touchdowns and winning games. That’s what I like so much about it.”

Chaump began his coaching career in 1967 and went 63-10 in seven years as a high school coach. His success there landed him a job as an assistant coach at Ohio State under the legendary Woody Hayes.

Chaump, who has been a finalist for jobs at Ohio State, South Carolina and Missouri in recent years, led his team to an 11-2 record in 1988 before going 6-5 this past season.