WSU cornerbacks coach Greene fired

Ken Greene, cornerbacks coach at Washington State, has been dismissed from the staff.

A source familiar with the situation said Greene was fired because of incidents of misconduct.

WSU made no announcement Tuesday but is expected to announce today that Greene, 51, has left the staff.

Greene coached the WSU secondary the past four seasons, then had his responsibilities reduced to cornerbacks before spring football. Leon Burtnett, who had been coaching linebackers, was assigned to coach safeties.

A source within the athletic department said Greene wasn't dismissed for insubordination.

Greene played at WSU from 1974-77 and was a second-team Associated Press All-America safety. He was a first-round draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL. The Omak native played seven seasons in the NFL, five with the Cardinals and two with San Diego.

Greene coached at Fresno State and Purdue before being hired by Bill Doba before the 2003 Holiday Bowl season.

The departure of Greene leaves the Cougars scrambling for a cornerbacks coach less than three months before fall camp opens.

Greene's replacement will be one of three new assistants on the staff. Running-backs coach Kelly Skipper left for the Oakland Raiders and former Cougar Steve Broussard replaced him. Defensive coordinator Robb Akey was named head coach at Idaho, and Marty Long, who was at Nevada, was hired to help coach the defensive line.

Doba did not return phone calls Tuesday and Greene couldn't be reached for comment.

Note

• RB Derrell Hutsona and safety DeWayne Patterson, both junior-college transfers, have left WSU because of poor academic performance.

Hutsona had been compared to 2005 WSU All-America Jerome Harrison when he arrived last fall. Patterson was ineligible last season because of academics.