JOPLIN, Mo. – Missouri Southern State has announced the resignation of head football coach Denver Johnson effective immediately.

The Lions host Fort Hays State Saturday night.

In three plus seasons under Johnson, the Lions have managed only three wins and are currently in the midst of a 16-game losing streak.

Defensive Coordinator Joe Bettasso has been named the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2018 season and a national search for a head football coach will be conducted at season’s end.

A veteran of more than 30 years on the college football sideline, Johnson has served as the head coach at Illinois State and Murray State, while also serving as an assistant at his alma mater, Tulsa, the University of Colorado and Tennessee-Martin.