Franks taking over McNairy football

Brian Franks is preparing to start his eighth season in charge of the baseball team at McNairy Central High School.

He’s also the athletic director.

On Friday, Franks took on another role, and that is the next head football coach for the school.

“Honestly, being a head football coach is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Franks said. “But I didn’t really expect it to happen now and this way.

“But I’m excited about the job and ready to get going.”

Franks’ hiring as football coach ends a three-month long search that started in early November when former coach Chad Hodge resigned after two years and a 6-14 record.

Franks was an assistant coach under Hodge, serving as an assistant head coach and filling in where “things needed to be done.”

Before helping with the McNairy football team, he coached the football and basketball teams at Bethel Springs for 12 years. He also helped out some with the varsity football team at Adamsville.

Franks led the baseball Bobcats to consistent improvement during his first few years as the head coach, leading the team to the state tournament in Murfreesboro in 2012, his fourth season in charge.

The Bobcats have been a district and region championship contender ever since.

He said he thinks he can have similar results on the football field, and it starts with getting the kids motivated and keeping them motivated.

“It’s just a matter of getting them to buy in to what we want them to do,” Franks said. “It’s how we’ve had success in baseball, and it’s how we had success in basketball and football when I was the coach at Bethel Springs.”

Franks said he knows the juggling act he signed up for when he officially agreed to the job on Friday will be a difficult one, but he’s ready for the challenge.

“It’s going to be tough, but I think I can handle it,” Franks said. “I want to give it a shot, see what happens and see if I can make a go of it.

“I want to coach these young men up, and hopefully we’ll succeed. I believe we can.”

Franks said he plans to have spring practice for the football team at the end of baseball season. He said the plan right now is for it to start at the end of April unless the baseball team makes it far enough in the postseason to push it back.

Having spring practice will be important because he said there are a number of young players that will need to be ready to play in the fall.

“It’s a similar situation to when I took over the baseball program,” Franks said. “We’ve got older players who do a good job, but there are a number of young guys we need to start as well.

“That’s just how it goes when you’re trying to build a winning program, and that’s where we’re having to start.”

The Bobcats will open the season at home against Scotts Hill.

Brandon Shields, 425-9751