Associated Press
ATLANTA ó The mounting losses and declining attendance finally caught up with Paul Hewitt.
Saturday the Yellow Jackets answered the long-running question about the coachís future when they fired him only two days after another disappointing season.
Hewitt, who took the Yellow Jackets to the national title game in 2004, muddled through his fourth losing season in the last six years.
ěAt the end of the day we just didnít win enough games,î Hewitt told The Associated Press on Saturday. ěItís part of the business.î
In the end, the financial impact of a half-filled arena for Georgia Techís home games overwhelmed the $7.2 million buyout Hewitt will be paid over five years.
Athletic director Dan Radakovich said Saturday that he hopes to hire a coach before the Final Four, which begins on April 2 in Houston.
Radakovich said he already has a few candidates on his list to replace Hewitt, who did not attend the press conference. Radakovich will be assisted in the search by former Vanderbilt and South Carolina coach Eddie Fogler.
Fogler also advised Auburn during last yearís search which ended with the hiring of Tony Barbee.
Radakovich said he ěgot to know coach Fogler very wellî when the two worked together at South Carolina. He said Fogler would not be a candidate to replace Hewitt.
Hewitt was not bitter about being let go, which was not unexpected.
ěI had 11 years there,î Hewitt said. ěIíve got nothing but appreciation for how they dealt with me in my 11 years. Itís a great place and I know theyíre going to get a great coach.î