STARKVILLE — New Starkville High School football coach Ricky Woods sees his latest career stop ending in one of two ways.
“They will either fire me or retire me,” Woods said.
While the comment was made in jest, Woods used his introductory news conference at the Starkville Athletic Center to bring home the point that this would be the last job of his highly decorated coaching career.
“I feel like I have come home now,” Woods said. “I told my wife (Susan) that this was my last stop. I have carried her around to three states. It’s time to quit all of that. I am here for as long as they want me to be here.”
The Starkville School District school board confirmed the hiring of Woods at a board meeting Friday. Also Tuesday, new athletic director Milton Smith was introduced. Starkville Principal David Baggett called the hiring of Woods and Smith “not home run hires, but grand slam hires.”
“Today is a big day because I feel like we have brought two of our own home,” Baggett said. “Milton played here, graduated from here. Ricky is familiar with the area and has ties to the area. I have hired several coaches and athletic directors in my time. But never have I hired two extraordinary men like this. To be able to do that at the same time is amazing.”
Baggett said the number of resumes submitted for consideration to be Starkville High’s next football coach was stunning. He also said it was a who’s who of names that he, SSD Superintendent Dr. Lewis Holloway, and the search committed poured over.
In the end, strong recommendations from players and a state championship pedigree landed Woods the job.
“I’m not really sure what you can attribute the past success of my programs to,” Woods said. “I know it is about hard work and it is about family. We have always had a belief system of doing things the right way. There is no short cut to success.”
Woods won four Mississippi High School Activities Association state championships at South Panola High and two at Ackerman High. His coaching career also includes a five-year stint at Northwest Mississippi Community College in
Senatobia.
Woods takes the job at Starkville High after two seasons at Peabody High in Trenton, Tennessee. There was also a prep stop in Georgia. Already vested in the state of Mississippi retirement system, Woods will draw retirement and a $50,000 supplement from Starkville.
“We have a lot of catching up to do,” Woods said. “The timing is not really right to switch head coaches. You had much rather come in here in January and then you would already have a plan in place. However, there are no excuses. The expectation is to win, and win right away.”
Woods replaces Jamie Mitchell, who resigned earlier this month to become football coach at North Little Rock High (Ark.). Mitchell led Starkville High to a 51-17 record in five seasons, including the 2012 MHSAA Class 5A championship. Last season, Starkville finished 13-1, falling to eventual state champion South Panola in the Class 6A North State title game.
“The program wins,” Woods said. “When you think Starkville, you think of a great amount of success. You are expected to win championships. This was an ideal situation for me. I can’t really think of any other job opening I would have left where I was at other than to come to Starkville.”
Woods watched Starkville High’s spring game — a 7-0 win against South Panola at Davis Wade Stadium. He said he will spend the next few weeks watching game tape from last season and meeting the players.
“We are excited about coach Woods coming,” Starkville senior defensive lineman Lorenzo Dantzler said. “We know what he brings to the table. He has won state championships. That is what we need. We know he will put us in a position to win championships.”
Woods doesn’t plan to make any changes to a defense that returns seven starters. On offense, the Yellow Jackets will go more spread. The biggest challenge of summer workouts and fall drills will be to solidify the quarterback position.
“The best part of the job is working with the players,” Woods said. “I am excited about getting that going. I know we have some talented playmakers. I figured that out real quickly from the spring game. We just got to figure out what we have and the best places to put those playmakers.”
Woods also will spend the next week finalizing his staff. Presently, no one has left from last season. Woods hopes that remains the case. Interim coach Brooks Oakley, who served as Mitchell’s defensive coordinator, coached Starkville High in the spring game and is expected to remain at the school for the fall.
“We want everything to keep going as is,” Woods said. “Jamie and I are very good friends. He told me so many times what a great job he had. I really need all of these assistants back. I will lean on this group more than I have any other group of coaches.”
ESPNU will broadcast the Starkville-Oxford football game at 8 p.m. Aug. 28 in Starkville.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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