Mark Helfrich is out as Oregon's football coach, the school announced.
"We want to thank Mark for his eight years with the University of Oregon and appreciate his efforts on behalf of Oregon football," athletic director Rob Mullens said in a statement. "We wish Mark and his family the best."
The move comes just days after the Ducks wrapped up a 4-8 season with a 34-24 loss to rival Oregon State.
It was their worst season since 1991 (3-8) and marks the first time since 2004 that they won't appear in a bowl game.
"It is a great honor to have served as the head football coach at the University of Oregon," Helfrich said in a statement released by the school. "It is with respect and disappointment that we receive this decision. Plain and simple -- we didn't win enough games this season.
"Thank you first to my wife, Megan, and our family, the fans, the campus community, the board, our donors and administration. To our coaches, staff and their families, it is impossible to communicate my gratitude for the environment we got to work in every single day.
"Finally, to the players -- thank you, and I love you. The future is bright for this young, talented team, and we will be supporting them and their new leadership."
Players were informed of the move via text, a source told ESPN's Chantel Jennings, and most rushed to Oregon's facilities.
A source told ESPN's Brett McMurphy that the Ducks' next coach needs to be "someone who would reinvigorate ticket sales."
Expected candidates include Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, North Carolina's Larry Fedora, South Florida's Willie Taggart, Boise State's Bryan Harsin, West Virginia's Dana Holgorsen, Western Michigan's P.J. Fleck, Central Florida's Scott Frost (a former Oregon offensive coordinator) and Florida's Jim McElwain, sources told McMurphy.
In 2009, Oregon became the first state to adopt a law -- similar to the NFL's "Rooney Rule" -- that requires all public universities to interview a minority candidate for every open head-coaching job.
Helfrich and Mullens met Tuesday night. Mullens had been in Texas until Tuesday, taking part in meetings with the College Football Playoff committee.
In addition to Oregon's record this season, the school's announcement Tuesday night pointed to the Ducks' dependence on graduate transfers in 2015 and '16. It also noted lopsided losses to Washington, USC and Stanford this year, and the Ducks' failure to convert on four of five 2-point attempts following touchdowns in a narrow loss to Nebraska.
Helfrich, whose contract with Oregon includes an $11.6 million buyout, was 37-16 as head coach of the Ducks. He was Oregon's offensive coordinator under innovator Chip Kelly, taking over the top job in 2013, when Kelly went to the NFL. He led the Ducks to the first College Football Playoff championship game two years ago.
Kelly, now coach of the 49ers, addressed rumors of a potential return to Eugene earlier this month.
"I'm not looking to go back and that's what I've always said; so I don't know how it's stayed a story," he said.
After going 9-4 last season, Oregon started this season ranked No. 24 in the preseason AP Top 25. But the Ducks lost 35-32 at Nebraska in the third week of the season, touching off a five-game losing streak.
The Ducks finished last in the Pac-12 North standings at 2-7.
Just moments after the Oregon State defeat, Helfrich was asked about his job security.
"Nobody's job is safe in college football," he said. "That's just the nature of the beast."
