The Frank Tavani era has ended at Lafayette College.

The 17-year head football coach announced his departure Tuesday night at a meeting with his players.

A source indicated to lehighvalleylive that Tavani was fired and did not resign.

Tavani, who took over the head coaching spot from Bill Russo in December 1999 as the Leopards' 27th head coach, compiled an 84-107 career record. Tavani won four Patriot League championships, most recently in 2013. Since 2013, Tavani has held the endowed coaching position of the Fred M. Kirby '42 Head Football Coach.

However, the Leopards had suffered seven straight losing seasons since an 8-3 mark in 2009, going 24-54 over that stretch. Lafayette was 3-19 in the last two seasons. Tavani was 46-54 in Patriot League play and 7-10 against archrival Lehigh, including the 2014 win in "Rivalry 150" at Yankee Stadium.

Tavani, who had a contract through the 2017 season, certainly did not sound like a coach who was ready to retire in his final press conference this fall on Nov. 19 after a 45-21 loss to Lehigh at Fisher Stadium.

"We're not that far off. The vultures can circle, but there's no dead meat here -- and that includes me." Tavani said. "That stuff that people put out there, I got news for them: they owe me a lot of money. All those people that are looking for that crap, maybe it'll happen, but tell them not to feel too bad because my bank -- it's not coming from my end. And everyone's asked me about my health; I've never been better. Oddly enough, as tough as it's been, I am feeling better than ever. ... This is a great school and a great league to be involved in. I'm comfortable in my own skin and how we run the program, how we treat these young men and how they graduate, how they handle themselves on and off the field. I'm going to coach here until someone says stop or I die."

In a September conversation about Lafayette's overall athletic program, Leopards director of athletics Bruce McCutcheon commented on the football program's inability to follow up the 2013 league championship and 2014 Yankee Stadium win.

"We did not have the success we wanted, and I understand people's concerns and frustrations," McCutcheon said. "We do annual evaluations of the program and we absolutely want championship experiences for all of our programs. Football is in that conversation. Frank has been with us for a long time. He's an excellent individual to work with and he does a great job with the young men he brings to campus and getting them to do what they need to graduate. What would make the picture better is more success for the team on the field."

This fall marked Tavani's 30th season coaching at Lafayette and 40th overall. He had been associate head coach under Russo from 1987 to 1999 after stints as an assistant at Lebanon Valley College (his alma mater, Class of 1975) and Franklin & Marshall. He was 2004 Patriot League Coach of the Year.

In 2015, Lafayette earned the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for being in the top 10 nationally in the NCAA's academic progress rate (APR). Tavani coached 30 All-District academic selections, and coached five Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Since 2010, 162 Leopards have been named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.