Terry Allen out as Missouri State football coach

Terry Allen is done as football coach at Missouri State. And he says it will be his last head-coaching job.

“I’m done being a head coach,” Allen said at a press conference Sunday. “Partly because I’m 57 years old, and partly because I don’t want the disappointment that comes with it.”

Allen, whose contract expired after Saturday’s 38-24 loss in the regular-season finale at Northern Iowa, had a 37-64 record at Missouri State. He is 132-123 overall in 22 seasons as a head coach, including a 20-33 record at Kansas during 1997-2001.

During a press conference Sunday, Missouri State athletic director Kyle Moats announced that Allen would not be retained. Moats said he has recommended a “different direction for the program” and that “new energy” is needed.

“We need to win,” Moats said.

Moats said a national search for a new head coach begins immediately.

Speaking a few minutes after Moats finished, Allen said he was disappointed, but spoke proudly of his time at Missouri State.

“It’s part of the Boy Scout creed to leave the campsite better than you found it,” he said. “I believe we’ve done that.”

This story was originally published November 23, 2014 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Terry Allen out as Missouri State football coach."