Chris Young, the new head coach of the Greenwood Bulldogs, recently named two new additions to his staff. Young was quickly promoted to the top job after the resignation of Rick Jones in mid-February.
Jones led the Bulldogs to eight state titles and 11 championship game appearances in 16 remarkable seasons before departing for a football consultant’s position with the University of Missouri.
Young, 42, served as an assistant to Jones for all 16 years and has coached at Greenwood for 20 years. He most recently served as the team’s offensive coordinator and is the son of Joe Fred Young, who took Fort Smith Northside to eight state title games during his stellar career.
The Bulldogs’ new head coach also served as assistant principal at the high school, gaining administrative and leadership experience he can now apply in guiding one of the top prep football programs in the state.
On March 12th Young announced the hiring of two new position coaches, Zack Watson and Austin Moreton.
They were expected to join the staff at the end of the current school year in time for summer workouts, but the extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus scare has everyone guessing about the future.
All schools in the state are closed until at least April 17th and all high school spring sports, including spring football, have been put on hold, and may not be resumed, even if classes do.
Regardless, Watson and Moreton appear to be highly qualified coaches, and both are eager to start their new jobs at Greenwood.
In making his announcement, Coach Young said, “We are excited to welcome Zach Watson as the Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach for the Greenwood Bulldogs.
“Zach had been an Offensive Coordinator at North Little Rock, Nashville, and Morrilton. We are excited to add Zach, [wife] Kelsey, and their four children to the Bulldog family!”
In response to several of the GHS fans who posted welcome messages on the Greenwood Dog Pound Facebook page, Coach Watson replied with a heartfelt, “Thank you. My family and I are very excited to join the Greenwood community, school district, and football program. Can’t wait to get there!”
At the same time, Young introduced his new offensive line coach, Austin Moreton.
“We would like to welcome the newest member of the Greenwood football staff. Coach Moreton has been the offensive line coach for Little Rock Central the past two years.
“He is a graduate of Southside High School and played offensive line for Arkansas State University. We are excited to welcome Coach Moreton and his wife Mallory to the Bulldog family!”
Like all other coaching staffs across the state, Young and his assistants now await the end of the current health crisis and the return of normality, whatever that may look like.
Losing spring practice would be a blow for the Bulldogs, but it will be the same for every other team in the state as well, though new coaches like Young will have less practice time to implement changes.
The AAA has extended the current “Dead” period until at least April 17th before reassessing the situation in coordination with the Governor’s office and the state health department.
But when all of this is past and the ‘Dogs take the field in September, their schedule will include several new opponents, mostly resulting from conference realignment by the Arkansas Activities Association.
In addition to new non-conference foe Choctaw, Oklahoma, the Bulldogs will now play Little Rock Parkview, Mountain Home, and Van Buren on its league schedule.
Those three teams replace Sheridan, El Dorado, and Little Rock Hall in the 6A West. Choctaw replaced Sand Springs (OK) while the ‘Dogs continue playing non-conference rivals Fort Smith Southside and Northside the first two weeks of the season.
Remaining on the league slate from previous seasons are Siloam Springs, Russellville, Benton, and Lake Hamilton. The season kicks off on September 4th at Fort Smith Southside.