MOBILE, Ala. -- South Alabama basketball coach Bob Weltlich resigned Tuesday following a 7-21 season, the worst in school history.

Athletic director Joe Gottfried said Weltlich and the university "mutually agreed" he should step down.

Weltlich, who was 81-65 at South Alabama, had three years left on the contract he signed in July. He will receive $197,500 and use of a car for six months as part of his buyout.

Weltlich led the Jaguars to three regular-season Sun Belt Conference titles in five years.

"I'm extremely proud of what we were able to accomplish over the last five years," Weltlich said. "I enjoyed working with this year's team, and with basically everyone returning, this upcoming season should be an exciting time for Jaguar basketball."

His base salary was $125,345 a year, with another $25,000 for personal appearances and his radio show plus performance and graduation bonuses.

Gottfried left town Tuesday to meet with an unspecified candidate for the job. He said a hiring could come as early as Friday.

He said he would seek advice from his son, Alabama coach Mark Gottfried, and Georgia coach Jim Harrick.

Weltlich took over at South Alabama, his fourth school, before the 1997-98 season when Bill Musselman abruptly left to become an NBA assistant with Portland.

Weltlich's first team won the Sun Belt's regular-season and tournament titles and went to the NCAA tournament, finishing at 21-7. The Jaguars also captured back-to-back league titles in 1999-00 and 2000-01.

However, the program was placed on two years' probation on Dec. 19 because two assistants at the time took a pair of recruits on a $559 shopping excursion.

The Jaguars will lose a scholarship from each of the two recruiting classes. Weltlich was not sanctioned by the NCAA but was reprimanded by the school.

Weltlich, who also led Mississippi and Florida International to the NCAA tournament, is a former Texas head coach and Indiana assistant under Bob Knight. His career record is 300-335.