By By KEVIN TAYLOR for The Standard
Former T.R. Miller assistant coach Greg Ennis has been named head coach in Georgiana - almost by accident.
Ennis was actually in Luverne to inquire about its head coaching position vacancy when he saw some tape on Georgiana.
During a conversation with some of the remaining football staff at Luverne it was mentioned that Georgiana also was looking for a head coach.
So Ennis called Georgiana Principal Keith York. York verified that the position was still open, and the next stop for Ennis was Georgiana.
Now Ennis is Georgiana's new head football coach after being approved for hire by the Butler County Board of Education at its Thursday meeting.
Ennis takes over for York, who was promoted to principal in mid-May.
"Mr. York has done an outstanding job with the athletic program, and I hope to keep up with what he put in motion," Ennis said.
Ennis comes to Georgiana from Prattville High where he was hired to be the Lions offensive line coach. Last season, Ennis was defensive coordinator at Robert E. Lee.
Before moving to Montgomery, Ennis was linebackers and defensive ends coach at T.R. Miller in Brewton for 10 years.
"Greg was great with our players here," said T.R. Miller head football coach Jamie Riggs. "He was one of those guys who does a good job on the field and off the field encouraging them and motivating them."
Riggs said it was just a matter of time before Ennis would be a head football coach.
"I knew he would be a head coach somewhere," Riggs said. "I know he will be a good fit since he knows folks from the community and he's got a good nucleus of kids to work with."
Ennis knows Georgiana well considering it was one of his first coaching jobs. Ennis was apart of the Shane Wasden staff in 1993 when the Panthers advanced to the Class 2A semifinals.
Although time is short before the first day of practice, Ennis said that his expectations for the upcoming season deal specifically with the progress of the program.
"I want to develop the guys so that they will be productive citizens," he said. "The winning and the losing will take care of itself."