Memphis East football coach Marcus Wimberly leaving alma mater for Cordova

After 12 season at his alma mater, Marcus Wimberly is leaving East High's football program.

On Friday, the Cordova High Twitter feed announced that Wimberly is taking over the Wolves' vacant coaching job. Cordova has been looking for a coach since last month, when Anthony Jones left to join Mike Norvell's staff at the University of Memphis.

"Excited to announce that after a thorough and difficult process, coach Marcus Wimberly will be our next coach," the school Tweeted. "He brings head coach(ing) experience, a state championship and most importantly a record of building character and doing things the right way."

Wimberly lead East to a 13-2 record in 2016, winning the school's second state championship with a 27-3 victory over Knoxville Central in the BlueCross Bowl Class 4A title game. The Mustangs finished 5-6 in 2017 and lost to Dyersburg Central in the first round of the playoffs.

Overall, Wimberly was 81-57 at East and made the playoffs nine times.

"I think it was just time for me to take on a new challenge," he said. "Cordova has 2,100 students at the school, 100 players at the football team. They have facilities that they just don't have at East. The opportunity presented itself and I had to take it.

"I've got a lot of love for East ... but this was a no-brainer."

Wimberly won't have to wait long to cross paths with his alma mater once again; Cordova will host the Mustangs in the season-opener on Aug. 17.

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.