Earle Bruce Resigns at Northern Iowa (5-6)

Earle Bruce resigned Saturday as football coach at Northern Iowa, citing personal reasons.

Bruce had just completed his first year with a 5-6 record at the Division I-AA school after being dismissed at the end of the 1987 season by Ohio State.

Athletic Director Bob Bowlsby said Bruce submitted a letter of resignation, catching officials at the Cedar Falls, Iowa, school unprepared. He said work would begin early this week to find a successor.

Bruce, 57, a college coach for 16 years, had been one of the candidates mentioned as possible coach at Colorado State, but Northern Iowa officials said they were not aware of any new job offers to Bruce.