Alums Critical Of Northwestern Coach Getting Fired

MIAMI (CBS4) - Normally, a coach doesn't get canned after winning a game, but Friday that's just what happened to Northwestern Senior High football coach Billy Rolle after Saturday night's victory against Edison.

Former players are criticizing the decision, which pits a successful football coach against the school's principal.

CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald first reported the firing, which was later confirmed by CBS4 sources. School officials declined to say why Rolle was fired, and Rolle did not return phone calls.

Northwestern Athletic Director Earl Allick said that assistant junior-varsity football coach Monte Dilworth has been named the interim coach.

Rolle has won 2 state titles, and one national title, in his time as Northwestern's coach. He also won a state title while coach at Killian. As Northwestern's large alumni base begins to learn the news, some are upset that Rolle is out.

"I'm pretty disturbed about it because of the simple fact it took a while to build this program and Northwestern's come a mighty long way to build this program," said Keith Phillips, Northwestern football alumnus. "They release a lot of kids from here to pro football, college, academic-wise its built up."

Northwestern school officials are saying very little about the matter. The school's vice principal told CBS4 News that it was time for the school to go in a different direction. But he admitted that Rolle was a good coach.

"You still ain't giving us no satisfactory reason why did you dismiss him, why did you terminate him," asked Leander Phillips Jr., a Northwestern football alumnus. "You know you just as a matter of fact we had just beat Edison."