LORMAN — Alcorn State is moving quickly on its search for a new head football coach.

President George Ross said coach Ernest Jones’ termination was official this morning, and he expects to name an interim head coach “in short order.”

“This just happened, and I’m trying to get a committee together,” Ross said. “I’ve started in spirit, but I haven’t charged a whole committee yet.”

Ross said Jones’ assistant coaches are still employed “at will” at the university, and their status at Alcorn at this point is unchanged.

“I was just speaking to one of the coordinators today about our recruiting situation, actually,” Ross said.

The university issued a statement announcing Jones’ termination Tuesday afternoon, stating he was fired on the grounds of “malfeasance and contumacious conduct.”

The decision was reached after a Jan. 16 due process meeting that lasted 12 hours and involved several witnesses for both Jones and Alcorn.

“I am saddened by the decision of the University,” Jones said in a statement issued Wednesday by his attorneys. “I was recruited by Dr. Ross to return to Alcorn State, my Alma Mater, to lead the football program back to the level of prominence and success we have historically enjoyed as Alcornites.

“I left an extraordinary coaching opportunity with Coach Brian Kelly at Cincinnati to return home, to be of service to a great institution which meant so much to me throughout my adult life and which gave me my foundation.”

The statement says Jones plans to appeal the firing to both the Mississippi Board of Directors of State Institutions of Higher Learning and to the Mississippi courts in an attempt to remain in his position.

The lawyers allege Jones did not get a fair and impartial hearing because Ross would not remove himself as the convening authority, despite his naming in a $3 million lawsuit from Jones against the university.

“In light of the fact that Dr. Ross had already advised Coach Jones — in a private conversation prior to the date of the hearing — that he intended to fire him, the outcome of the hearing and Dr. Ross’ decision was never in doubt according to Jones’ attorneys,” the statement reads.

It also alleges Jones was not allowed to challenge the credibility of witnesses or evidence against him in the hearing — it says witnesses included a convicted felon and “individuals of questionable character who had previously been terminated from other educational institutions for unlawful and inappropriate conduct.”

The attorneys’ said they feel the evidence is in Jones’ favor, and they hope to prove so in court.

Wayne Ferrell, a lawyer for Jones out of Jackson, said he received a letter Dec. 8 notifying the first-year coach of the intent to terminate the remainder of his three-year, $140,000 contract without compensation.

That letter came days after Jones filed the lawsuit to reinstate seven assistant coaches who he says were fired without his knowledge or consent.

The lawsuit also alleges that Ross and Athletic Director Darren Hamilton, hired in April, failed to make good on certain contractual promises.

Hamilton refused to comment on the situation Tuesday and could not be reached by phone Wednesday.

Jones has repeatedly stated his desire to remain the head coach.

“I want to insure (sic) all of my fellow Alcornites that I have operated at the heights of integrity and honor, and I conducted myself everyday in a manner which was both in the best interest of the university and the young men who I was hired to serve,” Jones said Wednesday. “It is my hope that I can continue to serve the student athletes, administration and fans of Alcorn State for years to come.”

Ross said he has no time frame to hire a new head coach, although he would like to do so as soon as possible.

College football’s national signing day is Feb. 4.

“I’m not going to settle. I’d like to get the best coach out there,” Ross said. “Signing day starts next week — I’m well aware of that — but there are opportunities to sign through April.”