New Oak Ridge Head Football Coach

[hsfbfan07]

I have no "inside info" or "reliable sources", however, I think Joe Gaddis makes perfect sense. I expect him to be back there - which is bad news for Patriot fans but judging by how bad he wanted the job last time it was open, I don't see him passing it up. And, as far as the administration goes, I think they will get over their problems with him because he is a proven program builder - which is EXACTLY what they need right now. Rankin isn't going anywhere except out of state one day or to a private.

[SPLITBACK]

OR hated Gaddis when he was there. Another name that has been mentioned was Tim Daniels at Red Bank.

 

 

Oh really /cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="B)" border="0" alt="cool.gif" />

[ORidgeKat]

We loved Coach Gaddis, the players loved playing for Coach Gaddis. His players would do the proverbial "run through a brick wall for their coach". His teams were always fired up and they were tough. Those were the hardest hitting Oak Ridge teams that I can remember and I have seen thirty five editions of the Wildcats.

[MrTinkertrain]

I'm shocked that no one has mentioned Phillip Fulmer. /laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

 

(insert rimshot)

[ORidgeKat]

He could be our recruiting coordinator, he always was a good recruiter.

[balleret]

New to the board and not very knowledgeable, but curious.

 

Why is the town split on Gaddis?

 

Why does the current administration not like Gaddis?

 

 

I think there is some history with Gaddis, Maybe someone should check into his past at OR an the answer to why Gaddis SHOULD NOT be rehired at OR may come out.

[AlcoasPaintedBridge]

From what I hear, the DC at Alcoa did apply for the job. Im not sure how true that is but thats a rumor that has been floating around in Alcoa.

 

WOW! Bring me proof.....

[ORidgeKat]

Balleret, the whole city of OR knows exactly what happened with Gaddis. Some Ridgers have forgiven him and would welcome him back. Some don't agree with that approach. It will come down to Mullins (AD) and Carringer (Principal). I do know Gaddis was the committee's recommendation in 2005, but that was overturned by the outgoing principal at the time with support from the superintendant. That's how we ended up with Stanton.

[rallykat]

I would love to see Joe Gaddis back at OR. I don't condone the mistake he made years ago, but a lot of time has passed. My understanding is that when a search was done before SS was hired, he nearly broke the door down with interest in coming back. If Henry Co can forgive his mistake, maybe Oak Ridge can too.

 

If he comes back, he will build the program into a winner. That's what he does. I'm sure there are other good candidates and I will support whoever the new coach is letting their results speak for themselves. Whether it's my choice or not, if they are taking the program in the right direction they will keep my support.

 

 

I usually just read with interest, but I decided to respond to this one. Let's set the record straight. First of all, Joe was a friend of mine when he was here, and I still talk to him occasionally. Four years ago, when the head coaching position was offered to the Baylor coach ( I can't remember his name), the coach turned it down. At that point, the Oak Ridge administration called Joe up for an interview. Joe had not been part of the initial interviews. THEY CALLED HIM. If you don't believe that, then refer your questions to the current OR Principal, since he is the one who called him. Now that doesn't hardly sound like he was "nearly breaking the door down with interest in coming back"! I haven't spoken with Joe since his season ended, but I do know that he is happy in Henry County, and I can't imagine why he would want to leave. He has turned that program around, he has great support from the community, he has a great coaching staff, and a great administration.

[baconbreath]

As for the new coach at OR, don't look too hard from him to come from any of the above mentioned names. The next OR head coach will quite possibly come from southeast Tennessee. No, it won't be Monroe at Ooltewah who is close to re-retiring. Especially when the new East Hamilton High opens next fall and a lot of the Ooltewah study body transfers there. Ted Gatewood who rebuilt the Ooltewah program from the quagmires before he came has just been officially announced as the new head cheese at EHHS and intends to take some of the current Ooltewah staff over there with him. Gatewood left OHS for private business and was replaced when Monroe unretired but later Gatewood returned to Monroe's staff as an assistant. Most considered him the 'coach in waiting' to replace Monroe if he announced he would retire for the 2nd time. Gaddis will NOT be returning to OR and GQ and Rankin will NOT be going there although they will be contacted and maybe even take a dance turn before deciding to stay at their respective schools. The new coach is now coaching at a school that has won a state title in the last 10 years although he was not coaching there at the time. He has coaching ties to the Knoxville area but not in Knox or Anderson County. He has no geographic or family ties to anyone or any place in Tennessee. Stay vigilant and see what happens.

 

There is also a rumor hot and heavy that another southeast Tennessee coach will leave his current school that has won a state title in the last 5 years and move to another school in the area in a higher classification, replacing a current head coach facing a disgruntled coaching staff and fan base.

 

No names from me, just solid investigative work!

[Govolsknox]

As for the new coach at OR, don't look too hard from him to come from any of the above mentioned names. The next OR head coach will quite possibly come from southeast Tennessee. No, it won't be Monroe at Ooltewah who is close to re-retiring. Especially when the new East Hamilton High opens next fall and a lot of the Ooltewah study body transfers there. Ted Gatewood who rebuilt the Ooltewah program from the quagmires before he came has just been officially announced as the new head cheese at EHHS and intends to take some of the current Ooltewah staff over there with him. Gatewood left OHS for private business and was replaced when Monroe unretired but later Gatewood returned to Monroe's staff as an assistant. Most considered him the 'coach in waiting' to replace Monroe if he announced he would retire for the 2nd time. Gaddis will NOT be returning to OR and GQ and Rankin will NOT be going there although they will be contacted and maybe even take a dance turn before deciding to stay at their respective schools. The new coach is now coaching at a school that has won a state title in the last 10 years although he was not coaching there at the time. He has coaching ties to the Knoxville area but not in Knox or Anderson County. He has no geographic or family ties to anyone or any place in Tennessee. Stay vigilant and see what happens.

 

There is also a rumor hot and heavy that another southeast Tennessee coach will leave his current school that has won a state title in the last 5 years and move to another school in the area in a higher classification, replacing a current head coach facing a disgruntled coaching staff and fan base.

 

No names from me, just solid investigative work!

 

 

Mr Breath, you are implying the decision is already made at OR. Is that correct or incorrect?

[Govolsknox]

I usually just read with interest, but I decided to respond to this one. Let's set the record straight. First of all, Joe was a friend of mine when he was here, and I still talk to him occasionally. Four years ago, when the head coaching position was offered to the Baylor coach ( I can't remember his name), the coach turned it down. At that point, the Oak Ridge administration called Joe up for an interview. Joe had not been part of the initial interviews. THEY CALLED HIM. If you don't believe that, then refer your questions to the current OR Principal, since he is the one who called him. Now that doesn't hardly sound like he was "nearly breaking the door down with interest in coming back"! I haven't spoken with Joe since his season ended, but I do know that he is happy in Henry County, and I can't imagine why he would want to leave. He has turned that program around, he has great support from the community, he has a great coaching staff, and a great administration.

 

 

Rally, I have no ties to coach Gaddis, just a lowly fan. During the last couple of years there have been many discussions on these boards regarding the history of the hiring of SS. If I had the energy, I could wade through them all to provide more details. Whether they were right or wrong, my understanding is that there was a "selection advisory commitee" of sorts formed that included not only school officials but also other interested parties. My understanding is that whether he was contacted or he contacted OR, he immediately made himself available for an interview and that he was ready to work through the details and take the job after the selection committee recommended him. (I do have a booster source who also had 2 kids play under Lussier and SS who told me that Gaddis was very very interested in returning to OR.) The administration rejected this recommendation and SS was selected. If you'll recall, there was a story that came out in the paper (Knoxville News Sent. I believe) stating officially that Gaddis was returning as OR coach. This of course ended up being incorrect, but I believe this is an indication that Gaddis coming back was considerably more a possibility than I infer from your comments. I'm sure I've missed some of the details, but this was materially the story that was discussed regarding the whole selection process and the erroneous report in the newspaper. Perhaps some other posters on Coach T can chime in and provide a little more detail to this situation. I wasn't involved so I have no inside information, but it is a fact that the commitee recommended Gaddis and that an article appeared in the newspaper saying he was returning.