Lou Randall, who led the Riverside North football team to three CIF championships, was fired Thursday after five seasons as head football coach.

"I think our football program is about more than wins and losses," North principal Dale Kinnear said in a phone interview Thursday. "The overall growth and academic success of each of our athletes will produce even more success on the field. Although I'm pleased with Coach Randall -- he's a good man that has done us well and I value his contribution to North -- at this crossroads we need new leadership."

Randall twice led his team to 14-0 seasons. He won the Division 5 title in 2003, then back-to-back Eastern Division championships in 2006 and 2007.

While Randall enjoyed unquestionable success on the field, his handling of the team became a source of contention. It manifested Jan. 18, at Randall's end-of-the-year evaluation, when he was told by Kinnear that North would head in a different direction.

When Randall, Kinnear and Athletic Director Jim McNamara reconvened Wednesday, Randall, who would not resign, was told he had been released.

"He talked about confidence," Randall said of Kinnear's decision. "He thought he didn't have confidence in me.

"It's one of those things, I'll move on and I'm going to be fine. There's nothing that I've done at North that I feel bad about. We feel that our program was moving in a great direction and we were excited about next year. But he's the boss."

Randall, who has previously coached at Chino Hills Ayala, Chino, Garden Grove and Moreno Valley Canyon Springs, led North to a 53-12 record.

"He wasn't ready," said McNamara, who has known Randall for more than 40 years. "It wasn't his choice to give it up. He accepted that. He's a coach, he's going to move on."

Randall will continue to serve as a physical education teacher at North, and will re-launch the Opportunity program for special-needs students.

While North didn't release information of Randall's firing until Thursday, word had already spread around the football program. Senior defensive end John Wright said he found out Tuesday that his former coach had been let go. Wright, who expressed disappointment with the decision, said Randall disciplined the team when necessary. He acknowledged Randall had his critics, particularly in terms of his play-calling.

But, Wright said, Randall's record should speak for itself.

"He's a coach that's winning," Wright said. "Why fire him?"

When asked if academics played a role in Randall's dismissal, Kinnear said, "I think it is a factor in that I want all of our kids -- athletes and others -- to perform to our best. Many of them face challenges that are difficult. It's not that I hold Coach Randall solely responsible for that, but I do think that we need to increase the expectations of all of our kids both on and off the athletic field."

Cory Kipp, a North defensive end from 1995 to 1999, often attended North practices this season and recently took a job as its defensive line and strength and conditioning coach. Kipp had been working with Randall for two weeks before he learned of Randall's dismissal.

"Coaches have different ways and different philosophies," Kipp said. "I think Randall didn't want to yell at these kids too much, have them ruin their confidence in where they end up quitting. Maybe he had a different philosophy toward things. Whatever his philosophy was, he was still winning. He was still bringing CIF championships to North."

Reach Michael Becker at 951-368-9528 or mbecker@PE.com