West Jones Coach

[Merlin]

Cory Reynolds is out. Told the players today.  Job will be posted soon. 

Edited December 3, 2025 by Merlin

[Vott]

38 minutes ago, Merlin said:

Cory Reynolds is out. Told the players today.  Job will be posted 

Would you look  for a head coach with experience or give an assistant from either WJ or another program his first shot as a HC

[Chunky6617]

Oh I’m sure they will open it up. That job will bring a lot of interest. 

[BigFan100]

44 minutes ago, Merlin said:

Cory Reynolds is out. Told the players today.  Job will be posted soon. 

Why he's out? 

[Merlin]

25 minutes ago, BigFan100 said:

Why he's out? 

Resigned.  Officially.   Been rumors swirling for a couple months that it could be happening. 

Edited December 3, 2025 by Merlin

[Merlin]

25 minutes ago, Vott said:

Would you look  for a head coach with experience or give an assistant from either WJ or another program his first shot as a HC

Petsonslly, I hope they look for proven coaches with championship experience. 
 

In the prior search 3 years ago they prioritized young coaches that would commit to stay for more than 10 years. But the ones involved in that search aren’t there currently.

 

i have already heard of some young coaches that are WJ graduates and have 1 to 3 years head coaching experience.  To me, this screams of “the good ole boy system” and I can’t get on board with that.  I want proven winner, period. There’s still a lot of talent on that campus all through the junior high.  

[Vott]

5 minutes ago, Merlin said:

Petsonslly, I hope they look for proven coaches with championship experience. 
 

In the prior search 3 years ago they prioritized young coaches that would commit to stay for more than 10 years. But the ones involved in that search aren’t there currently.

 

i have already heard of some young coaches that are WJ graduates and have 1 to 3 years head coaching experience.  To me, this screams of “the good ole boy system” and I can’t get on board with that.  I want proven winner, period. There’s still a lot of talent on that campus all through the junior high.  

Would you welcome championship caliber coaches from small 1a or mais schools? 

[PigskinPrognosticator]

Higdon

Jason Soules

Regrick Young

Drew Granger

 

will be 1 of these 4 

 

[Merlin]

6 minutes ago, PigskinPrognosticator said:

Higdon

Jason Soules

Regrick Young

Drew Granger

 

will be 1 of these 4 

 

Then Higdon would be my choice of that group.

Young maybe 2nd choice.

 

Soules would be a No for me.  I think if they want to see the program collapse maybe. 

 

I don’t know anything bout Granger. 

Edited December 3, 2025 by Merlin

[PigskinPrognosticator]

Granger turned sumrall around in 1yr which says a lot. Hear he wants to be at a football first school. 

[Merlin]

3 minutes ago, PigskinPrognosticator said:

Granger turned sumrall around in 1yr which says a lot. Hear he wants to be at a football first school. 

But why have the list to these 4 that quick before even posting the position and seeing who will apply? 

[Merlin]

Rigdon: 

 

Edited December 3, 2025 by Merlin

[Merlin]

Young, is a WJ graduate and I think he may have been an assistant on defense at one time but I may be wrong. 

[Merlin]

Granger:  I like he improved Sumrall from 1-9 in 2025 to 7-5 playoff team in his first year. 
 

 

[Merlin]

I do not understand why you don’t post the job and see who applies. Mitch Evan’s was high on the list 3 years ago and may apply again.  I know several others that have won titles that applied may try again.  Maybe chip Bilderback wants a pay raise! Maybe Jeff Stockstill decides it’s ok to teach a drivers add class this time? 

[Vott]

4 minutes ago, Merlin said:

I do not understand why you don’t post the job and see who applies. Mitch Evan’s was high on the list 3 years ago and may apply again.  I know several others that have won titles that applied may try again.  Maybe chip Bilderback wants a pay raise! Maybe Jeff Stockstill decides it’s ok to teach a drivers add class this time? 

Chip is making plenty at Columbia. Plus his wife being head women's basketball coach at so miss, they are living comfortably.

[Merlin]

20 minutes ago, Vott said:

Chip is making plenty at Columbia. Plus his wife being head women's basketball coach at so miss, they are living comfortably.

But WJ’s base salary 10k more. Plus the booster club there will pump it up a bunch cause they got some deep pockets.  And it’s not really farther from home.  
 

Granted the facilities are sub par cause the jones county school district won’t get off its rear and do anything about it. 

Edited December 3, 2025 by Merlin

[PigskinPrognosticator]

45 minutes ago, Merlin said:

But why have the list to these 4 that quick before even posting the position and seeing who will apply? 

It’s been known to the admin that Reynolds was gone prior to the regular season ending. 

[Merlin]

Just now, PigskinPrognosticator said:

It’s been known to the admin that Reynolds was gone prior to the regular season ending. 

I know.  It was a poorly kept secret. But it wasn’t really known to other potential parties that could be interested in the job.  That makes me curious if they were calling who they cherry picked to gauge interest. 

[PigskinPrognosticator]

Ding!

[Merlin]

You can’t convince me that some more well known coaches weren’t interested or weren’t more qualified than these 4.  
 

What I should have said prior post is, it’s looks like they are prioritizing younger age over a history of winning.  I would rather have a coach that has 8-10 years left that could likely get a couple titles over young coach that can stick around for 20 years but struggle to get past the 2nd round of playoffs.  
 

Out of the list above in my opinion Higdon is the clear choice, with granger maybe sliding to 2nd spot I’m due to huge improvement at sumrall in his first year. 

[JRoss1958]

Jones County is extremely political. Higdon is a solid candidate for sure that should be considered. There are also two alumni that are coordinators at local 7A schools with championship resumes that may get a call. And then I don’t think you can count out a Mitch Evans or Dan Brady who also could be great options. I think whoever put the 4 names up is jumping the gun. 

[Merlin]

11 minutes ago, JRoss1958 said:

Jones County is extremely political. Higdon is a solid candidate for sure that should be considered. There are also two alumni that are coordinators at local 7A schools with championship resumes that may get a call. And then I don’t think you can count out a Mitch Evans or Dan Brady who also could be great options. I think whoever put the 4 names up is jumping the gun. 

I can tell you for a fact Dan Brady will not be considered. He burned his bridges with gasoline. 

Evan’s was high on the list 3 years ago.  Actually I’m still not sure how reynolds got the job 3 years ago after the drama surrounding his exit from south jones a few years prior. 

 

Edited December 3, 2025 by Merlin

[JRoss1958]

3 minutes ago, Merlin said:

I can tell you for a fact Dan Brady will not be considered. He burned his bridges with gasoline. 
 

 

How so? I’m not in the loop I just have a feeling those other guys may because of local connection and I know Brady is close by at stringer. 

[Merlin]

1 minute ago, JRoss1958 said:

How so? I’m not in the loop I just have a feeling those other guys may because of local connection and I know Brady is close by at stringer. 

He’s had his panties in a wad since he didn’t get that job in ‘23.  I don’t have much specifics other than “things have been said”.  Then there’s the circus with him targeting a kid that transferred from stringer to west telling him he won’t play a down at west, then  after the kid goes to Wayne academy for a few weeks he reports things there that got the head of the school to remove the kid from school,