Kent Briggs has been fired from of his duties as head football coach at Western Carolina, the team’s Web site announced. The Asheville Citizen Times also reported that his staff has also been fired.

Briggs, who has been in charge of the football program at Western Carolina for four years, will be reassigned to “another university position following WCU’s football game with Furman University on Saturday, November 17,” according to a statement made by athletic director Chip Smith on the Web site.

The site did not say where Briggs, a former quarterback for the Catamounts from 1977-79, would be reassigned.

Western Carolina is suffering through a 1-9 season this year, 0-6 in the Southern Conference. The Catamounts’ lone victory came in week four when they beat Presbyterian 33-20. Presbyterian is in its first year as a Division I-AA football team.

The Catamounts’ latest loss was a 79-35 thumping at the hands of Appalachian State at Kidd Brewer Stadium Saturday. Appalachian State led 45-21 by halftime and never looked back in scoring the most points in the Mountaineers’ history since 1936.

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

Briggs overcame a bout with cancer during the 2006 season, when the Catamounts went 2-9. His best year was 2005, when the Cats went 5-4, but in six seasons, Western never won more than five games. He was given a three-year contract extension by the school worth more than $332,000, according to the Citizen Times.

His overall record is 22-42, 12-31 in SoCon games. The Catamounts are 2-18 since the extention was given. Three assistant coaches also received contract extensions last year.

Briggs said on the school’s Web site that he did not resign midway through the season since it would send the wrong message to his players.

“People have questioned me not resigning my position before the season was over. But, we preach never quitting, never giving up and fighting through the fourth quarter to our players. How could I have looked them in the eye and tell them to fight until the last whistle blows when I had not.”

Smith said he would begin a search for a new coach “immediately.” Briggs said he would stay focused on coaching the Catamounts this Saturday against Furman.

“We have one more game remaining this season. My total focus will be on Furman and we will fight till the end.”