FRESNO - Jeff Tedford announced on Friday morning that he will resign as the head football coach for Fresno State, effective immediately. However, the Bulldog alum will remain a part of the program he has such a long history with - as a player, an assistant coach and head coach - as a special assistant to the director of athletics Terry Tumey.
"I am announcing today that I need to step down as the head coach," said Tedford. "I've had some recent medical situations and concerns that has really been going on since midseason.
"While I'm torn about this, and have a heavy heart about this, it really is time to get healthy and spend some quality time with my family. I have been doing this for a long time now, and it is time to put some priority on other things."
Tedford was hired on Nov. 10, 2016, and introduced to the Red Wave as the Bulldogs' 19th head coach in program history at a press conference on Nov. 11, 2016. He inherited a 1-11 football program when he took over the reins of his alma mater and was driven to re-instill the pride and tradition of Bulldog football. In three seasons as head coach, he guided Fresno State to a 2018 Mountain West Championship, two MW West division titles, two bowl wins and 26 wins.
"This is a very difficult day for me and as an athletic director," Tumey added. "Jeff Tedford embodies everything we want in a Bulldog. That is the legacy that Jeff Tedford will leave here as a coach, and that is the legacy we will continue to carry on, as an athletic department, and as a program here at Fresno State."
Until surpassed, 2018 will remain in the record books as the winningest season in the now 98-year history of program by achieving 12 wins during their championship run. The renaissance under Tedford also led to FBS history being made as Fresno State became the first team to ever secure back-to-back double-digit winning seasons following a double-digit loss season.
Fresno State finished ranked No. 18 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches poll in 2018. It was the best finish in the AP Top 25 in program history, besting No. 22 in 2004. The 'Dogs also held a No. 21 ranking in the final College Football Playoff poll.
Individual accolades in his time at Fresno State included being a two-time finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, a 2018 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award finalist, a 2017 semifinalist for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, the 2017 AFCA Region-5 Coach of the Year and 2017 Mountain West Coach of the Year.
Tedford's ties to the Valley and Fresno State run deep and will remain so moving forward in his role under Tumey while a national search for his replacement gets underway.
During the search, current offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb will step in as the interim head coach during this time.
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