After five seasons, assistant coach Bill Mottola will not return to the Kent State football team for the 2006 season.

Mottola was the offensive line coach since 2001 and his departure was announced yesterday.

“I appreciate everything Bill has done for the Kent State football program over the last five seasons,” Kent State coach Doug Martin said in a press release yesterday. “This was a very difficult decision to make, and although our offense had excelled in recent years, I felt that it was time to make a change for the future development of our program.”

This season, the Flashes (1-10, 0-8 Mid-American Conference) only picked up 505 rushing yards, after posting 1,695 rushing yards in the 2004 season. The offense totaled 4,168 yards in the 2004 season but a mere 3,117 yards this season.

Mottola helped in leading the offensive line in posting one of the top scoring offenses in Kent State history in the 2004 season.

Before coming to Kent State, Mottola was the offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky for one season and was an assistant coach at Army for four seasons.

Kent State Director of Athletics Laing Kennedy said in a press release Mottola’s release will be the only coaching change made for the 2006 football season.

– Kali Price