George O’Leary steps down as interim UCF athletic director

The Knights have also won three bowl games, including the upset against Baylor in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl.

ESPN and the Orlando Sentinel each reported Monday that George O’Leary will resign as the school’s interim athletic director, but continue his duties as the Knights’ football coach.

O’Leary said Monday he is stepping down from the athletic director job immediately.

But the dynamics changed when UCF – which was picked to finish second in the American Athletic Conference’s East division – started to show signs of crumbling at the foundation.

O’Leary replaced Todd Stansbury, who left to lead Oregon State’s athletic department this summer.

The primary question going forward seems to be whether O’Leary will be involved in any capacity at UCF once the season is finished. UCF President John Hitt told the Orlando Sentinel last month O’Leary’s term would run through December, and then the school would evaluate his performance and to see if the football coach still wanted to pursue the job full-time.

Brad Stricklin, UCF’s executive senior associate athletic director, will take over as interim director of athletics.

O’Leary said he will make a decision about coaching the Knights beyond this season at the end of the season. Though the new person in charge will inherit significant challenges, particularly if O’Leary can’t get the football product back up to par, it’s better than the alternative.