Once again McCallie School did not have to look far to find its new head football coach. Former Blue Tornado assistant and current athletic director Bubba Simmons was named to that job Friday.
"During the process of discussing candidates, I realized this was a job I was very interested in," Simmons said. "In talking with the administration and other staff members, it just felt like a good fit and the right time for me.
"Whenever you've been around the game as long as I have, it's a part of who you are. Having been around the younger kids and being very familiar with McCallie football's tradition and the outstanding assistants we have, all helped me make up my mind."
The announcement came just one week after Rick Whitt resigned as head coach. Whitt had been a Blue Tornado assistant before taking over, and he finished with a four-year record of 19-24.
Simmons was the head coach at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe in 1981-82, finishing 4-16 there before becoming a part of the late Pete Potter's staff at McCallie. He was the head coach from 1994 to '97 at East Ridge, where he went 8-21.
"As we began the search process, we were impressed by the quality of the coaches who expressed interest in the position," McCallie upper school head Kenny Sholl said in a news release. "But we quickly realized that our own Coach Simmons had all of the qualities we found vital in a head coaching candidate."
Simmons will remain athletic director and said he will begin the process of talking with current assistants to determine whether they want to remain on staff. He said he hopes Whitt also will remain.
"I hope everyone, including Rick, wants to remain on this coaching staff," Simmons said. "All of those guys know the program and are very bright coaches.
"Of all the things I've enjoyed doing in my career, the thing I enjoyed the most was being a head football coach. This is just an unbelievable opportunity."