Earnest Collins Jr. has been fired as the head football coach of the Northern Colorado Bears, director of athletics Darren Dunn announced Sunday.

Collins helmed the program for nine seasons, compiling a 28-72 record during his tenure. UNC finished the 2019 season with a 2-10 record.

“This is never an easy decision to make,” Dunn said in statement. “We would like to thank Earnest for his dedication to the student-athletes, the athletics department and the University of Northern Colorado over the past nine years.”

Collins signed a five-year contract in 2016, according to the Greeley Tribune, after leading the program to its first winning season since moving up to Division I.

The Bears had another winning season in 2016, but since then, the program has gone 7-26 in three years.

The school has retained consulting film College Sports Solutions to assist in finding its next head coach, Dunn said.