Five weeks before the high school football season kicks off, Greenville High School is kicking off a search for a new head football coach and athletic director.

Alvin Briggs resigned after four seasons, compiling a 19-24 record. Briggs led the Tigers to the playoffs in his first three seasons.

When Briggs confirmed that he had resigned on Monday, he said that he didn't want to comment on why he decided to resign.

"I'm doing what is best for everyone's sake," he said.

Briggs' decision came as a shock to everyone, including the remaining members of his football staff.

"I love each and every one of those guys," he said. "They were very loyal to me. They worked their butt off for me this summer. They are on a 9-month contract, so they were working for free this summer. I love the dedication they had to this program and me."

David Hartman, the Tigers' offensive and defensive line coach, said that he didn't see Briggs' announcement coming. But it will be business as usual without Briggs at the helm.

"We'll keep doing what we've been doing, which is working hard all summer," Hartman said. "We'll just keep doing what was originally planned, and take it one game at a time."

Greenville Principal Dr. Kathy Murphy also did not offer an explanation as to why Briggs resigned.

"I didn't ask, and he didn't offer an explanation," Murphy said.

Briggs decision so late in the summer was not planned, he said.

In fact Briggs said that he had every intention of returning for a fifth season at Greenville up until about three weeks ago.

"When the school year was over, I was looking forward to coming back, but circumstances warranted otherwise," he said.

So now the search begins.

Murphy said that new Butler County Superintendent Mike Looney will be involved in the search process. Obviously Murphy would like to have a new football coach in place before the season starts.

"Time is of the essence," she said.

Murphy is in Mobile for the remainder of the week for a school mega-conference through Friday.

"Hopefully, I'll have interviews lined up as early as Friday," she said.

Since the school board meets on Thursday and then normally would not meet again until the third week of August, Murphy said a retroactive hire would be necessary for the school's new head coach and athletic director.

"We would bring him in and then the board would give the final OK at its next meeting," she explained.

As for Briggs, he said that he will return to coaching.

"I'm a football coach," he said. "That's what I am."

Although Briggs will not be on the Greenville sideline, he said that he expects "tremendous things" out of the Tigers this season.

"They are going to do something good whether I was there or not," he said.