Southern Methodist University, whose football program was...

Southern Methodist University, whose football program was placed on three years’ probation by the NCAA last month, announced it had fired assistant football coach P.J. (Bootsie) Larsen for violating university policies.

SMU Athletic Director Bob Hitch and sports information director Larry White gave no specific reasons for the action.

“If you’re asking, is he being fired at the request of the NCAA, no, he is not,” White said.

Larsen, 42, a graduate of Mississippi State, previously was an assistant coach at Southern Mississippi, Richmond and North Alabama.