Meigs County High School's new head football coach certainly won't need to wear a name tag.
The school has promoted a familiar face in the community, naming longtime Tigers assistant Tommy Bunch, who also played offensive line for Meigs, as its new head coach on Monday. He takes over for Jason Fitzgerald, who stepped down last week to accept an offer to become the new head coach at Sale Creek High.
"We're very excited to have Tommy as our next head coach and I have all the confidence in the world in what he can do," said Meigs County Schools superintendent Clint Baker. "It's such a relief just knowing we had the right guy already on staff, someone we feel is ready and has proven to be a quality coach on the field and the right type person you want your kids to be around.
"Everybody in our community knows Tommy and his family. His dad was on our staff when I coached here back in the 1990s and their whole family is well known and respected in our community so folks will give him all the support he needs to be successful."
A 2009 Meigs County graduate, Bunch has coached a variety of positions -- defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs, running backs, receivers and special teams -- the past 11 seasons as a Tigers assistant. He was the defensive coordinator the past two seasons and worked as co-defensive coordinator when Meigs finished as Class 2A state runners-up in 2019 and 2020.
"I thank God for providing me and my family with this opportunity," said Bunch, who will have at least two assistant positions to fill. "It's an honor of a lifetime to get to be the head coach at your high school. I love this program, this community and its people and I understand how passionate they are for this school and the football program.
"Coach Fitzgerald came here when we were at our lowest of lows and did a great job of revamping the program to get it where it is now. He taught me how to have better relationships with players and also how to build a staff, so my job is to maintain that and hopefully take another step forward. We know we have our community support to give us the resources we need to succeed and I am just humbled to have this chance."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.