Cullowhee, NC -- (Sports Network) - Western Carolina head football coach Kent Briggs will be relieved of his duties at the season's end, athletic director Chip Smith announced Monday.

Smith will also begin his search for a new head football coach immediately. However, Briggs will finish out the season, which concludes Saturday against Furman, and be assigned to another university position.

"This has been a hard decision to make," Smith said in a statement. "Kent is a hard worker and he and his family are respected members of the university community."

After its 79-35 loss at Appalachian State last Saturday, Western Carolina moved to 1-9 and 0-6 in the Southern Conference this season.

"This is a great university and I appreciate the privilege to have been the head coach here. It will always hurt my heart that we did not turn the corner with regards to the win-loss record, but I believe we are very close," Briggs said. "In fact, the future is bright and great things are going to happen."

Briggs and the school's board of trustees had agreed to a three-year contract extension in September 2006. But Monday Smith informed Briggs of his decision.