Another year brings another coaching change for Alcorn State football.

ASU President M. Christopher Brown II said Friday that Spears would not be back next season. Brown spoke at the Alcorn State University National Alumni Association Mid-Winter Conference at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

Spears has been on paid administrative leave since Dec. 12 after his team finished 2-7 and attendance at the final two home games was minuscule.

In four seasons, the Braves have had three different coaches. Ernest Jones was fired after just one season in 2008, and Earnest Collins left in 2011 for Northern Colorado after a two-year stint in Lorman.

Defensive line coach Todd McDaniel will run the football program in the interim from his position as coordinator of football operations. Alcorn will conduct what Brown described as a nationwide search for a permanent replacement for Spears. Brown set no timetable for the search process to begin and indicated that McDaniel might coach the team during spring workouts and the annual spring game, which is scheduled for April 25.

Brown introduced his new hire as athletic director, Patric “Pop” Simon, who will come to Alcorn from Langston University in Oklahoma.

Brown hopes that contractual issues with Simon and Langston can be resolved because he intends for his new AD to play a big role in the coaching search.

“I think that would be ideal,” Brown said. “We’re still fighting on the date of his arrival and I talked to his university president (Thursday) to ask them to let him go. We’re hoping to start sooner rather than later.”

The school intends to let McDaniel run the program without the title of interim coach, but Brown said that if Southwestern Athletic Conference bylaws force the school to give McDaniel an interim tag, the administration will decide to give him the interim title or initiate a search at that point.

“McDaniel consistently rose to the top and demonstrated great ability on the leadership side of the football operation,” Brown said. “His performance since Spears’ suspension has been 280 percent. He will compete with a national pool of candidates.”

McDaniel is ready to step into the head coaching position, but said he’s willing to stay as an assistant under the new coach. A Hazlehurst native, the 34-year-old McDaniel was Hazlehurst High School’s football coach and an acting assistant principal before coming to Alcorn with Spears.

“I want to make sure Alcorn is stabilized,” McDaniel said. “Alcorn is my home. Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do. If they need me to be the general, I’ll be the general. If they need me to be the foot soldier, I’ll be the foot soldier.”

Spears was recommended for termination by interim athletic director Dr. Malvin Williams Sr. Spears was given a choice: accept the ruling or go to a grievance committee hearing composed of staff and faculty members. He opted for the grievance hearing.

“We did a series of grievance hearings and I received a recommendation from the grievance committee, which was a staff committee,” Brown said. “I supported the recommendation of the committee. He was recommended for termination by the interim athletic director. It was clear cut and dry.

“They made recommendations on three points: code of conduct, the faculty-staff handbook and some management point between the coach and the athletic director. On all three points, the committee thought there was sufficent information. None of the issues rose to the administrative level. The greatest disappointment for me is when any staff member can no longer remain part of the family.”

As for regrets on his hiring of Spears, Brown has none.

“Not a day,” Brown said. “He’s a wonderfully personable individual and our conversations have been collegial. He’s a great Alcornite and has a heart and history for football operations at Alcorn. I enjoyed working with him while he was our football coach.”