Bowl-bound Bruins fire coach

LOS ANGELES -- Bob Toledo was fired by UCLA on Monday because first-year athletic director Dan Guerrero felt the program wasn't heading in the right direction and wouldn't turn around unless a coaching change was made.

"We need to raise the bar, we need to start winning Pac-10 championships again," Guerrero said at a campus news conference. "The issue was clearly one I had to make in the best interests of the program. The tough thing was this was Bob Toledo, he's a good man."

The Bruins are 7-5 this season, including a 52-21 loss to No. 5 Southern California on Nov. 23 and a 48-27 loss to No. 7 Washington State on Saturday.

Toledo won't coach UCLA in the Dec. 25 Las Vegas Bowl, where the Bruins will play New Mexico. Ed Kezirian, assistant director of academic services, will serve as interim head coach.

Toledo wasn't available for comment, but issued a statement that read in part: "I came to UCLA with class and dignity and I will leave with class and dignity. I have nothing but great things to say about UCLA."