Thibodaux, LA -- Nicholls State University has named Jay Thomas its new head football coach, pending board approval.

Thomas becomes the eighth head coach in the 32-season history of the school. Thomas replaces Daryl Daye, who was fired on Sunday.

"This is obviously a very challenging time for the student-athletes within our football program," said athletic director Rob Bernardi. "Jay is someone who I believe brings a stability after having been a part of the program for nine years."

Thomas has served the past five seasons as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. He was NSU's defensive line coach from 1990-92. From 1993 to 1998, Nicholls was the defensive line coach at Southeast Missouri State.

Daye was released after an investigation produced evidence of academic fraud that involved an assistant football coach. While Daye himself was not implicated in academic fraud, the school decided that as head football coach he failed to maintain proper control of his assistant coach.