Washington has fired offensive coordinator John Donovan, the school announced Sunday.
The decision comes a day after Washington lost 26-16 to Oregon, dropping the Huskies to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the Pac-12. Wide receivers coach Junior Adams will take over playcalling duties, and Payton McCollum has been promoted from analyst to quarterbacks coach.
Washington has regressed significantly since Donovan became the offensive coordinator after Jimmy Lake succeeded Chris Petersen as head coach following the 2019 season. The Huskies have averaged 5.4 yards per play and 23.9 offensive points per game under Donovan, after averaging 6.3 yards per play and 32 points over the previous four seasons.
The season began with a 13-7 loss to FCS Montana, and the Huskies need to win two of their final three games to reach bowl eligibility. Washington hasn’t failed to become bowl eligible since 2009.
The school did not provide an update on its inquiry into a sideline incident on Saturday involving Lake and redshirt freshman linebacker Ruperake Fuavai. Athletic director Jen Cohen released a statement late Saturday night that the school was “working to gather more information on this matter.”
Lake appeared to strike Fuavai, with minimal contact, following a tussle between Fuavai and an Oregon player near the UW sideline in the first half.