Florida A&M president James Ammons said the university wants to "move in a new direction" with the athletics program, and that he hopes to fill both jobs by the end of the year.

"You have to win," Ammons said. "The football program is the economic engine that drives the athletic program. It is the money generator."

Ammons, who took over at Florida A&M in July, said former assistant football coach Allen Bogan will serve as interim athletic director. Bogan was among five assistants who resigned in 2005 in the wake of sanctions from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference as punishment for 196 NCAA rules violations.

"The new president has a responsibility and wants to have his own team," Townsend said, "and I understand that."

Messages left on Carter's office and cell phones were not immediately returned. Carter was 16-17 in three seasons and had two years remaining on his original contract.

Carter, 54, took over in July 2005 amid a school-wide funding crisis and the investigation into hundreds of rules violations throughout the athletics program. He had been an assistant coach at Temple when he took the FAMU job.

His son, Andre Carter, is a defensive end with the Washington Redskins.