Jeff Tedford is fired by California after 11 seasons California football Coach Jeff Tedford was fired Tuesday after 11 seasons that began with great promise and ended with a disappointing run of mediocrity. Tedford engineered an impressive turnaround for the Golden Bears after taking over a one-win team following the 2001 season. He won a school-record 82 games, churned out numerous NFL prospects and spearheaded a facilities upgrade highlighted by a $321-million stadium renovation. But he never was able to match early success that included a pair of 10-win seasons in his first five years and a share of the 2006 conference title. "This was an extraordinarily difficult decision, one that required a thorough and thoughtful analysis of a complex set of factors," Athletic Director Sandy Barbour said in a statement. Ultimately, I believed that we needed a change in direction to get our program back on the right track. The program bottomed out this season, losing the final five games to finish 3-9 for Tedford's worst season at the helm. The Bears lost to rival Stanford for the third straight season and finished 2-5 in the first year back at remodeled Memorial Stadium. The final two losses were the most lopsided of Tedford's career, a 59-17 home loss to Oregon followed by a season-ending 62-14 loss at Oregon State. Tedford went 82-57 at Cal. Tedford released a statement thanking the school for the opportunity to coach there. "All involved can feel a great sense of pride with their sacrifice, contributions and commitment that have made it possible to have the winningest tenure in Cal football history," he said. We all can be very proud of helping to build a renovated Memorial Stadium that will have a positive impact on many athletes, fans and staff members for years to come. I will never forget the most gratifying part of these last 11 years, and that has been the relationships with the players I have had the special opportunity to watch grow academically, physically, socially and spiritually. To watch this process and be a part of their growth and development has been a blessing. Tedford is still owed $6.9 million over the final three years of his contract. The Fight Hunger Bowl will move from San Francisco's AT&T Park to the 49ers' new stadium in Santa Clara once the venue is completed in 2014. ... Western Kentucky defensive end and national sacks co-leader Quanterus Smith is done for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Saturday against Louisiana Lafayette. Smith is tied with Texas A&M's Damontre Moore for the lead in sacks (12.5) and is first in sacks per game (1.25). ... Idaho State Coach Mike Kramer announced he was not retaining four assistant coaches after the team posted a 1-10 mark and went 0-8 in the Big Sky Conference. Kramer said offensive line coach Derrick Roche, secondary coach Daniel Drayton, defensive line coach Todd Bates and linebackers coach Rudy Griffin would not be on the staff next season.