|
Western Carolina gives Briggs three-year contract extension
The executive committee of Western Carolina’s board of trustees unanimously agreed Sept. 13 to grant a three-year contract extension to Kent Briggs, the school’s football coach, and three of his assistants.
Briggs’ contract was to expire at the end of the season. The committee granted the extensions during a specially called meeting in an effort to bring more stability to the football program, Chancellor John Bardo said.
Following the terms of the current contract, Briggs will be paid $110,823 a year.
Also offered three-year contract extensions were assistant coaches Myron Jackson, David Napert and Don Powers.
“By taking care of these matters early in the season, we are demonstrating that we are serious about providing stability and continuity to Catamount football,” Bardo said. “This action will greatly assist coaching staff members when they go out on the recruiting trail because it shows that the university is committed to the program.”
The Catamounts’ head coach since 2002, Briggs received a one-year extension on his contract last year when he was battling head and neck cancer. University officials said then they wanted to give Briggs time to recover from the potentially life-threatening illness without worrying about job security.
Athletic Director Chip Smith said the decision to request the extensions came from an evaluation of the football program that underscored a need for continuity to be successful. Smith had previously said Briggs’ future would not be determined until the end of the season.
“If you look at some of the most successful programs in the Southern Conference, you find very little turnover among their football staffs,” Smith said. “Even with several coaching staff changes and Kent’s health problems last season, the football program showed improvement and had a winning record.”
Last year’s team went 5-4 giving Briggs his first winning season in four years at the helm. The Cats played for a share of the conference championship in the season finale but lost to eventual national I-AA champion Appalachian State.
“We have a head coach in place who is and who wants to be a Catamount, who would like nothing more than to return a winning football tradition to Western Carolina University,” Smith said. “He has a fine staff of assistants that can help achieve that goal. It was important that we give him the continued time and support to do the job.”
Briggs overall record is 21-24, including a 2-0 start this year. The Cats upset Eastern Kentucky, the nation’s 19th-ranked I-AA team, 20-17 Saturday.
“This was a decision not based on a won-lost record,” Smith said. “It speaks to the integrity of the institution and desire to build a program of which the university and our alumni are proud. We are confident that this continued support, along with the support of our fans, will make that a reality.”
Briggs, 49, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Western. An Asheville native and graduate of Reynolds High School, he played quarterback at WCU under legendary Coach Bob Waters from 1976-79, and worked as an assistant coach with Waters from 1980-88.
Briggs said he is thankful to the university administration for its commitment to inject stability into the football program.
“Our goal has always been to get to the top of the Southern Conference consistently and win championships,” the coach said. “Last year we proved we could play for a championship. Now we need to take that to the next level and realize our goal. The fight to get to the top level is a tough one and will take continued hard work. However, I truly believe with the commitment of a united Catamount community, we will get the job done. I am excited that we can now develop consistency on the staff. These contract extensions are a statement that will truly develop continuity on the football staff, the student-athletes now in the program and future student-athletes, which will make the university proud.”
|
