Williams needs to remain at Greenville
Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 29, 2005
Another high school football season is about to become history.
The three Butler County public schools will wrap up their season's this Friday, while Fort Dale Academy will be the only school from the county to venture into the playoffs.
While the season may not seem so thrilling with the three county schools combining for a 5-22 mark so far, there has been some drama before and during the season. And there may be some after the season, too.
The drama started when Greenville football coach Alvin Briggs quit five weeks before the Tigers' first game. After a quick search, hometown product Mike Williams stepped forward and has taken the reigns of the Tiger football and athletic programs.
Almost eight weeks later the drama unfolded in the southern end of the county when coach David Kirkland resigned going into the halfway mark of the season.
Junior varsity coach Timothy Moorer stepped forward to take over a young McKenzie football team.
Now the season is about to conclude and the drama may drum up again with the lingering questions as to whom will be the head coach at Greenville and McKenzie next year.
Williams came out of retirement to take over at Greenville, while Moorer took the hand off when Kirkland quit.
Questions around Greenville and throughout the county now point to Greenville as to whether Williams will stay.
And right now Williams isn't saying yes or no to another season at his hometown high school.
Williams said at the beginning of the season that he, Greenville principal Kathy Murphy and schools superintendent Mike Looney would discuss the future.
Although the record may not indicate great success, Williams, his coaching staff, and the young men at Greenville have indeed been successful.
A majority of the players bought into what Williams is trying to do by building a winning football program not only on the field, but in the classroom and in life.
Williams has moved the Greenville football forward in a positive direction more in just a few months than his predecessor did in almost five years.
While a 1-8 record may not turn heads, everything Williams and his staff have done for the players at Greenville has not gone unnoticed.
The parents and supporters of Greenville are not dumb. They understand that turning a program into a winner doesn't happen overnight. That is why it seems the consensus around town is that parents and supporters want to see Williams back as head coach and athletic director. Only that title would be minus the interim preceding it.
That's a good idea.
It's now up to Murphy, Looney and Williams to make that decision.
If there is ever going to be stability within the football program, it will start with its head coach. And Williams certainly will bring that stability and eventually a winner to Greenville.
Kevin Taylor is sports editor of The Greenville Advocate. Call him at (334) 382-3111 ext. 122 or e-mail kevin.taylor@greenvilleadvocate.com.