Missouri State University head coach Dave Steckel will not return to coach the Bears next year. The university’s athletics department sent a news release Thursday morning saying MSU and Steckel have entered into a “separation agreement,” effective Tuesday, January 14.
A press conference is scheduled for Monday.
The agreement stipulates that the university will pay Steckel the maximum buyout of $340,000 plus moving expenses. The buyout is privately funded, the release said, and will be paid in three annual installments.
The announcement comes after another disappointing season for the Bears in which the team went 1-10 overall and 1-7 in conference play. According to university stats, Missouri State scored a total of 170 points in 2019, as compared to a total of 397 scored by opposing teams.
“We want to thank Stec for his hard work and dedication to Missouri State,” Director of Athletics Kyle Moats is quoted as saying in the release. “He and I met after the holidays to discuss football-related matters, which ultimately led to this mutual agreement.”
Steckel was with the Bears for five seasons, during which time he led the team to a 13-42 record. Previously, he was associate head coach and defensive coordinator for the University of Missouri football team.
According to his official bio, Steckel served in the United States Marine Corps from 1975-78 and played four seasons as an offensive lineman at Kutztown University.
According to Moats, a national search to find the program’s next head coach will begin immediately. In the meantime, the interim head coach will be MSU offensive coordinator Justin Kramer.
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