San Diego U-T Preps

Russ Strange has been fired as the football coach at Temescal Canyon High, athletic director Mark Williams said Thursday evening.

The Titans went 4-6 in 2011 and missed the section playoffs. In four years under Strange, Temescal Canyon went 18-23 with one postseason berth in 2010.

"Wins and losses had nothing to do with it," Williams said Thursday by phone. "There was just a philosophical difference with the administration on this campus and Russ on a variety of things. ...

"We saw things that needed to go in a different direction and felt that change would help provide that."

Williams said the football position would initially be advertised in-house.

A long-time assistant with the program before succeeding Mike Sands, Strange remains on campus as both a history teacher and coach for the freshman boys basketball team, which he has guided to an 18-4 record.

Reached by phone Thursday, Strange declined to comment on his dismissal from the football program.

"We appreciate everything Russ has done here," Williams said. "He was one of the first coaches to coach here."

Strange has been at Temescal Canyon since 1994. In 1995, he was on Bob Burt's staff when the Titans won the CIF Southern Section Division IV championships. He was also with Burt in 1998, when the Titans reached the Division VIII final and lost to Bloomington, and he was on Mike Sands' staff in 2005, when Temescal lost to Norco in the section championship game.

A charter member of the Southwestern League in 2000, Temescal Canyon stayed in that league despite a declining enrollment following Lakeside's opening in 2005. The Titans finally got to drop down to the Sunbelt League two years ago, but saw marginal success with a 10-11 record.