Hixson High School names new football coach

Josh Owensby, left, checks to see if Bledsoe County's offense has gained a first down during a Sequatchie Valley Jamboree matchup in August 2016 at South Pittsburg High School. Owensby, Bledsoe's head football coach in 2015 and 2016, was an assistant the past three seasons at Hixson, but the school has promoted him to head coach as the replacement for Gary Murray, who resigned this past December. / Staff Photo by Robin Rudd

Hixson High School has named Josh Owensby as its new head football coach. Owensby has worked as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator the past three seasons and was the head coach at Bledsoe County the two years before that.

"I took three years off from being a head coach and learned a lot in my time as an assistant again, but I got the itch to head up a program again when this job came open and I'm looking forward to the challenge," Owensby said. "We haven't had the results on Friday nights recently that we'd like, but I remember sitting in the stands and watching when Hixson was a 2-point conversion away from going to the semifinals, so I know you can win here.

"Our job now is to get the kids here to buy in and get to work to turn things around."

Owensby takes over for Gary Murray, who stepped down in December after three seasons.

Hixson hasn't reached the playoffs since 2016, and Owensby will be rebuilding a program that is a combined 2-27 the past three seasons.

Owensby, a 2004 graduate of Rhea County, was an assistant at his high school alma mater under Jason Fitzgerald for two seasons before becoming an assistant at Bledsoe County in 2009. He returned to Rhea County in 2012 as offensive coordinator before taking over the Bledsoe County program for the 2015-16 seasons, going 9-13 overall and reaching the playoffs both years.

"We had quite a few applicants, but Josh really stood out," Hixson athletic director Brian Bray said. "His vision for the future of the program was impressive, and he's a guy who has built a really good relationship with our kids already.

"He's also someone who has previous coaching experience and was successful. We believe he's the guy who can get us moving in the right direction."

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.