Jordan Culver

Democrat staff writer

4:30 p.m. update:

Nelson Townsend has been named interim Athletic Director at FAMU.

Townsend was introduced by university President Elmira Mangum during a Monday press conference in front of all of FAMU's current head coaches.

This is actually Townsend's third stint as FAMU's Athletic Director. He was AD from 1986 until 1987, and again from 2005 until 2007.

"Mr. Townsend has been a pioneer in education and athletics throughout his career," said Mangum in a news release. "His integrity, strength of character, and ability to lead and inspire are precisely what the University needs at this moment in its history."

Townsend replaces Kellen Winslow, who submitted his letter of resignation to Mangum on Sunday. Winslow was Mangum's first hire and was on the job for about eight months. Mangum said Winslow "wanted to pursue other avenues."

Townsend, who is also on the search committee that will decide who FAMU's next head football coach will be, is now in charge of hiring the next head coach. Regarding the potential hire, he said a decision should be coming "any day now."

"I'm not a stranger to the issues of athletics at this particular time," Townsend said. "I'm certainly not a stranger to athletics because I've been involved as a lifetime career -- some 34 or 35 years. I bring experience and I bring what I hope would be an ability to bring the family together."

11 a.m update:

Florida A&M University Athletic Director Kellen Winslow has resigned, effective immediately, said university President Elmira Mangum.

Mangum briefly spoke to the media in the Al Lawson Center after an athletic department meeting. She said she received Winslow's resignation Sunday night, and the resignation was in no way "forced."

Winslow, a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, said in his resignation letter he planned to pursue other avenues, Mangum said. He came under scrutiny in October when he fired head football coach Earl Holmes four days before the annual homecoming game.

"I'm a great fan of Kellen," she said. "I'm a little surprised, but not too surprised after all the events that occurred in the last several weeks."

Last month, Winslow issued a public apology for the way he handled athletic department business.

"We have a lot of challenges," Mangum said. "Kellen was taking them on in the order he believed the university needed."

FAMU is the the middle of its search for a new head football coach. Last week, the school announced eight finalists for the job, and the number was supposed to be narrowed to three by Wednesday. Search committee chairman John Wooten said Friday he gave his recommendations to Mangum, but would not go into specifics about who his top candidates were.

Mangum said she has "not settled" on a top three yet, but emphatically said the search for the next head coach has not been suspended.

"No, it has not been suspended," she said. "We still need a head football coach. We're continuing our work."

She continued, "I am going to let the new athletic director be involved in (the head coach search) and make a decision on that."

Original story:

Florida A&M will hold a press conference at 3:30 p.m. today to announce "changes impacting FAMU's athletic programs," according to university officials.

The announcement will come from university President Elmira Mangum and take place in Lee Hall on FAMU's campus.

FAMU is the the middle of its search for a new head football coach. Last week, the school announced eight finalists for the job, and the number was supposed to be narrowed to three by Wednesday. Search committee chairman John Wooten said Friday he gave his recommendations to Mangum, but would not go into specifics about who his top candidates were.

The list of eight candidates included Charlie Weatherbie, former head coach at Louisiana-Monroe; Joker Phillips, former head coach at Kentucky; Willie Simmons, offensive coordinator at Alcorn State; Corey Fuller, interim head coach at Florida A&M; Latrell Scott, current head coach at Virginia State; Ester Junior III, a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame; Mark Orlando, offensive coordinator at Prairie View A&M; and Tony Samuel, former head coach at Southeast Missouri State.

University officials said a new head coach will be named by January.

Check back for more updates.