coastfootballfanman

I am not comparing the situations of the programs. St. Martin was/is the better job and has the potential to be a really solid spot for a good football coach. No disrespect to Ty Smith, but nothing on his resume tells me he will do a good job. I do not know him personally, but he was never a coordinator while at Ocean Springs, I was told by several sources that he was essentially "non-renewed" by Pennock after one season on his staff (as the Tight Ends coach / Special Teams Coordinator) and comes to St. Martin as their coordinator and in his first and only year as a coordinator (to my knowledge) and averaged a whopping 16 points in region play and only 23 for the season. I will gladly eat crow if I'm wrong, but I do not see him lasting more than 4 years at St. Martin - and that may be generous.

The fact it is even being discussed and rumored that the middle school coach is the front runner tells me all I need to know about this job. It will be in open in another 2-4 years just like St. Martin.

It is that way typically and it is because they pass over qualified coaches from around the state and other areas. Very few times has a coach from outside what is called the "6 coastal counties" been hired for a head job the past 10-15 years on the coast. I was told by a source in central office with St. Martin that Brian Anderson from Neshoba Central applied for the job. You telling me a guy with Head Coaching experience at the JUCO level, as well as several successful years as a coordinator on the high school level wasn't more qualified to lead a program than Ty Smith? As someone mentioned before, I was told interviews and such for this job were just a formality. Schools hiring coaches like this or retreads are the exact reason coast football as a whole are looked at as a joke throughout the state. Makes me sick honestly. I am a proud coast football supporter and to see most schools botch hires year after year and further set back football programs just sucks.

This is why so many coast teams struggle. Terrible coaching hires because very few schools on the coast take being a successful football program serious. The names that I heard put in for this job and they promote an assistant on staff when the program has been below average at best over the last 10 years - and has been bad the past two seasons. Until the coast schools start investing into their football programs, they will never be competitive (mainly for 6A ball - Coast 5A/4A has more than held their own in most years)

I heard something similar on St. Martin. Does not quite make a ton of sense to me given the candidates the job probably had. Long Beach I have not been able to gather much on that one.

Have you heard anything on Long Beach or St. Martin?

Casey Cain would leave Harrison Central for Forrest County??

Did you get a name?

Pretty spot on. I did not mean to compare the two jobs because St. Martin is definitely the better gig. I was just meaning that both need a culture reset. But you are right, the last 3-4 coaches did not last long and it has been a tough place to win.

His wife being the Head Women's Basketball coach at Jones will help keep that from happening. From my understanding, they live around Hattiesburg and commute to Ellisville and Columbia each day. I imagine unless she took a job closer to the Madison area, he would try and stay local.

Pay is going to be as good as anywhere on the coast. Facilities have improved tremendously. School is solid. Athletes are there. It has the potential. I think it needs a culture reset. Someone to come in and change the old guard. I think St. Martin has the chance to become really competitive with this hire, if it is a good one.

Both. Middle school program typically is competitive and fields solid teams. However, as they get into high school, most of the talent ends up making its way to other schools, usually Gulfport. The program needs a culture change in my opinion. When Long Beach was truly competitive, they were a hard nosed, physical style of play that emphasized running the football. They brought in an Air-Raid guru and the culture, physicality and quality of the program has steadily gone down hill since. Ross was a bad hire in my opinion. He is a good man and coach, but he took that job to get his last few years in and retire. You could tell the product on the field was a reflection of that. It is a great school system to work in from what I gather. Support has been iffy I hear, but I think the right guy can turn that around. Much like St. Martin, I think it just needs an overhaul in culture and you could start to breed success and field consistently competitive teams.

I would think it would draw interest too. I was told they were going after Pennock at Ocean Springs. Based on the job being re-posted to MHSAA site, I am wondering if that fell through and the applicants they had did not meet what they wanted.

I was told this one generated significant interest. Both in and out of state.

It has been pretty tight lipped from what I have gathered. I was only told a few names that have applied. Did not get the DC from Oak Grove's name though. He would be a great get, if he is interested.

Good for him! I know it may be a hot take to some folks, but I am all for the kids in this state going out and seeing other parts of our country and getting those experiences. Hope the best for him. He seems like a really good young man. I know there was a lot of drama on Twitter with his brother making some tweets directed at Ole Miss, but I hope most people will be happy for the kid and wish him success.

I did not get to watch, but I heard the offensive line looked pretty awful. Not surprised when I saw the group.

Well, I can promise you we will hear about how amazing Hattiesburg and Enterprise-Clarke will be in the 2022 season lol In all seriousness, coaching carousel will be booming shortly I am sure. Spring will be here before we know it. Recruiting is about to really get rolling. There will be things to discuss.

Oak Grove 28 Brandon 17

Picayune 28 Laurel 27

West Point 35 Neshoba Central 14

Word I have heard around Jackson area is Germantown has a lot of interest in Pennock. Would make things interesting if he were to leave. However, Pennock is building a great program at Ocean Springs with a lot of talent coming so I would be surprised if he left.

Oh you cannot dangle something like that out there and not elaborate! Lol what did you hear?

St. Martin has officially posted. Nice facilities, good pay, good place to live. Probably will draw some good names

I am going to take Picayune in a game that starts out as a grind, but sees the Tide eventually pull away and win.