By Chad Finn, Globe Staff

The University of Massachusetts will have a new head football coach when it becomes an official member of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Kevin Morris, who went 16-17 in three seasons as the coach of the Minutemen, was "released from his contract" this afternoon according to a press release from the university.

“I thank Kevin for his hard work during his eight years with the UMass football program including the last three as head coach,” said director of athletics John McCutcheon in the release. “With the transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference, I felt it was important for the program to have a new direction in leadership.”

A consultative committee will be formed shortly to assist with a national search for the next coach.

Morris was 40-49 in nine years as a head coach which includes six years at Worcester Polytech and three at UMass. Before being named the head coach at UMass in 2009, Morris served as the Minutemen’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for five seasons (2004-08).

This past season, UMass was 5-6 overall with no conference record due to the transition from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the FBS and the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The Minutemen were not eligible for the Colonial Athletic Association Championship or the NCAA FCS Tournament due to their transition status.

In April 2011, it was announced that UMass would be making the transition from the FCS level to the FBS level as a football-only member of the MAC. UMass will play the next two seasons at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., serving as its home field. The Minutemen will be eligible for the MAC Championship and bowl participation in 2013.