Rice has parted ways with football coach David Bailiff after 11 seasons.

Bailiff was informed of the decision during a Monday meeting with director of athletics Joe Karlgaard.

"In many ways it's a very sad and somber day for the Rice athletic department," Karlgaard said. "David Bailiff has represented Rice terrifically in his 11 years at the helm of our football program.

"But that being said, we have high aspirations for our program competitively, and after three consecutive losing seasons it was time to try something different."

Bailiff was 57-80 and led the Owls to four bowls, including three straight from 2012 through 2014. Bailiff was named Conference USA's coach of the year twice (2008 and 2013) and his 57 wins are second in school history behind Jess Neely (144-124-10).

"My vision is that we're in bowl games every year and that we're competing for a conference championship," Karlgaard said. "If you can make Rice a consistent winner, I think that's a feather in anyone's cap.

"It's not an impossible job. I think our success from the recent past shows that we can do that here. We're just looking for that consistently."

More Information Bailiff at Rice Year W-L Postseason 20073-9 None 200810-3 Won Texas Bowl 20092-10 None 20104-8 None 20114-8 None 20127-6 Won Armed Forces Bowl 201310-4 Won C-USA title game, lost Liberty Bowl 20148-5 Won Hawaii Bowl 20155-7 None 20163-9 None 20171-11 None Total 57-80 (3-1) Rice coaching history Coach Years W-L-T Phil Arbuckle 1912-17, 19-23 52-30-8 John Anderson 1918 1-5-0 John W. Heisman 1924-27 14-18-3 Claude Rothgreb 1928 2-7-0 Jack Meagher 1929-33 26-26-0 Jimmy Kitts 1934-39 33-29-4 Jess Neely 1940-66 144-124-10 Bo Hagan 1967-70 12-27-1 Bill Peterson 1971 3-7-1 Al Conover1972-75 14-28-1 Homer Rice 1976-77 4-18-0 Ray Alborn 1978-83 13-53-0 Watson Brown 1984-85 4-18-0 Jerry Berndt 1986-88 6-27-0 Fred Goldsmith 1989-93 23-31-1 Ken Hatfield 1994-2005 56-89-1 Todd Graham 2006 7-6 David Bailiff 2007-2017 57-80

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Firm to assist in search

The school enlisted Turnkey Search to assist with the search for their next coach, but Karlgaard said, "I'm identifying candidates and I'm doing the interviewing and we're really using Turnkey to assist us in the process with reaching out to candidates and setting up interviews and background checks."

Karlgaard emphasized what he's looking for in the Owls next coach.

"I think creativity, curiosity, and innovation," he said. "I want somebody who can really look at the way things have been done here and question all of it.

"Everybody's got a different opinion. I've had people reach out to me with ideas on style of play; I've had people reach out to me to say we need to fish in this particular recruiting pond; I've had people say to me that we need somebody who comes from an institution like Rice."

He sees the academic culture and standards at Rice as a boon more than a restriction in their search. Even still, time isn't a luxury.

"It's a competitive environment and it's only going to get more competitive as some of these openings are filled which in turn creates new openings, so you just want to make sure we're on top of things and that we act swiftly but make sure we're talking to the right people," Karlgaard said. "We're in uncharted waters in that we have an early signing period on Dec. 20 and this is the first year that football's had an early signing period. I think what you've seen in the college football landscape this year is more midseason firings as a result."

Karlgaard said he considered parting ways with Bailiff, 59, during the season but opted against it as the team fought then fell in close losses late in the season.

Open to all backgrounds

"We want someone who's a great fit for the institution who embraces the values of Rice and in many ways conducts himself exactly how coach Bailiff did with campus engagement and understanding of our alumni base and student-athletes," he said of prospective candidates. "I'm truly open to all types of backgrounds and experiences but head coaching experience would absolutely be a plus."

Defensive coordinator Brian Stewart is serving as Owls interim coach. Karlgaard, who came to Rice from Stanford in 2013, declined to comment on Stewart or any other prospective candidates.

Potential candidates include Stanford coordinators Mike Bloomgren and Lance Anderson.

University of Central Florida offensive coordinator Troy Walters and South Carolina offensive coordinator Kurt Roper have also been mentioned.

Bailiff took Rice to heights it hadn't reached in more than half a century, leading the Owls to two of the school's three 10-win seasons - 2008 and 2013 - the other was in 1949.

During Bailiff's tenure (tied for the third longest in school history), Rice players regularly excelled off the field; eight players were taken in the NFL draft.

And the school opened the $31.5 million, 60,000-square-foot Brian Patterson Center for coaches' offices and a locker and weight room in 2015.

After going 3-9 in Bailiff's first season in 2007, Rice rebounded with a 10-3 year and won the Texas Bowl in 2008.

But since winning the Owls' first outright conference championship in 56 years in 2013, Bailiff's teams have done progressively worse.

Rice went 8-5 in 2014 and won the Hawaii Bowl. The Owls ended 2015 with a 5-7 record and finished 3-9 in 2016.

This season, Rice went 1-11, losing to all but winless UTEP. The Owls fielded C-USA's third-worst offense and the second-worst turnover margin in the nation.

Contract will be honored

In 2014, Rice extended Bailiff's contract through the 2018 season. He is due to make $772,883 this season - just above the conference median - according to a USA Today database.

"We will fulfill the contractual obligations that we have to coach Bailiff," Karlgaard said.