Heritage names Russell new football coach

Heritage names Russell new football coach

By Ryan Callahan
of The Daily Times Staff
Originally published: January 21. 2009 3:01AM
Last modified: January 21. 2009 12:11AM

Brint Russell was relatively unfamiliar with the Heritage High School football team when he applied last month for its head-coaching vacancy.

A quick search of popular Internet video site YouTube told him all he needed to know.

"I was watching the video of a game, and it was against Maryville High School. It was 7-7 at halftime," Russell said. "I know, from reading the USA Today (Super) 25 (national poll) and things like that, that Maryville has a very good program.

"For Heritage to be tied with that program 7-7 at halftime means there's obviously potential here."

He now has the chance to prove it.

Heritage athletic director Chip Fuller introduced Russell as the Mountaineers' new coach Tuesday afternoon during a press conference in the school's gymnasium.

Russell, 30, was an offensive coordinator last year at Crest High School in Shelby, N.C., which finished 8-5. A family emergency interrupted his first head-coaching stint, at Jackson County High in Gainesboro, Tenn., after one season and forced him to spend a year away from football.

He replaces Tommy Rewis, who resigned Nov. 5 after leading Heritage to 11 wins over five losing seasons.

"Once I got to that level where I got the head-coaching opportunity, that's where I wanted to be," said Russell, who also has been a defensive coordinator. "I'm fortunate that I get to come here, where I feel like there's a big family atmosphere. It's a beautiful area, and I'm really excited to be here.

"It's not somewhere I see as a stepping stone. It's not somewhere I see building it up as one. It's somewhere I can be for a long time."

Fuller said the eight-person committee that interviewed 13 applicants for the opening unanimously agreed on Russell as the best fit for the Mountaineers, who have not made the playoffs or had a winning season since 1999.

"I think there's a lot of silent cheerleaders out there that are just kind of waiting for somebody to cheer for," Fuller said. "Hopefully, this hire will give them that opportunity."

Russell already has experienced success in quickly turning around a similar program, leading Class 2A Jackson County to a 4-6 record in 2006 that matched its combined win total from the previous four seasons.

He said Heritage would be "starting fresh" with "new expectations," but he also stressed the need for patience coming off a 1-9 season.

"It's not realistic to come in here and say we're going to go 10-0 next year. It's not realistic to come here and say that we're going to compete for a region title or a state title or anything like that. That's not realistic," Russell said.

"But what is realistic -- and what we always set as a goal -- is to fight every day in practice and to get better. For me, it's not so much stressing the wins and losses. It's stressing to get better on a daily basis, week in and week out, and then the wins and losses will take care of themselves."