PHS Coaching Carousel Is a Win-Win

Willie Oglesby brings plenty of experience to Pinecrest. Charlie Bergmann

Sunday, July 25, 2010

At 6-foot-5, Willie Oglesby looked oddly out of place as he put the Pinecrest defensive backs through their paces during a recent summer morning workout.

D-backs of that size are not commomplace at any level of football and the former Bethune-Cookman star has added a few pounds since his playing days. But he was right where he belonged in terms of his area of expertise. In four years at the Daytona Beach, Fla., college he made enough plays as an all-conference safety and cornerback to rank fourth on its all-time list in career tackles and 10th in interceptions.

"I was big enough to play the down positions, but fast enough to play the cornerback position," he says.

Oglesby was a member of the Iowa Barnstormers team that included NFL great Kurt Warner and is one of six new varsity assistant coaches, possessing impressive backgrounds and credentials.

The success of the Patriot football program since head coach Chris Metzger took over in 2007, after a successful four years at Lely High School in Florida, has contributed to a fluid coaching situation.

'Each year we have guys that want to move up in the profession and become head coaches," Metzger says. "When you have been blessed like we have to go places that have had some success and had some great kids that have had success, other people pay attention, and they want the coaches. It's all about moving up the ladder."

David Miller, one of Metzger's assistants in 2007, returned to Lely in 2008, and is about to begin his second year as the head coach there. Pinecrest graduate Ryan Riggan starts his second season as the head coach at Union Pines after a year under Metzger.

Mike Vogt left Pinecrest after the 2009 season to become the head coach at a new high school in Orange City, Florida. A number of others have moved on to accept positions as assistant head coaches and coordinators.

The flip side is that a respected program also attracts people that want to be a part of something good.

New outside linebackers coach Dennis Hall possesses a wealth of defensive coaching experience that earned him induction into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007. Offensive coach Mike Loutzenheiser brings head coaching experience from Southwestern Randolph where he was the head man the last four seasons.

When former Patriot three-sport athlete Antwan Murchison didn't get the offer to play professional football he hoped for, he became an offensive line coach. He played three years at Clemson and earned his degree before finishing his playing career at Mars Hill where he earned all-conference honors last fall.

Pinecrest football teams suffered through some tough times, winning a total of four games during Murchison's three varsity seasons.

"It's just a blessing to have a former Patriot like Antwan," Metzger says. "He talks to the kids about how fortunate they are because of the way the community has rallied around the program and to take advantage of what they've got. He's been at the highest level and gotten his degree. He's seen it all."

The youngest of the newcomers is 23-year-old Ben Hammer, a starting offensive guard in his last two season at Illinois Wesleyan. Like Murchison, he measures in at about 6-5, 300 and will coach the wide receivers.

Hammer was attracted to the way the Pinecrest program addresses more than just the football.

"I like the way Coach Metzger teaches life skills alot with the kids," he says. "It's about more than the game of football. It's about being successful in life. It's really beneficial to the kids in the long run instead of just coming here and playing football for four years."

The other varsity newcomer, Jason Sparks, has been at Pinecrest since February. He played football at Morehead State before earning his degree and serving as a student assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky, and five years overall, as a college coach. Most recently, he coached at a high school near Columbus, Ohio.

The defensive line and special teams coordinator has already made his mark on campus with an out-going personality.

"That's the gift I was given," he says. "I've always been up-tempo and energetic. I've always had the knack for drawing people and drawing to people.

"The things we do here are unbelievable. It's just totally focused on the kids. There are a lot of opportunities for the kids to succeed which is good."

Metzger is going to continue serving as the defensive coordinator and coach the inside linebackers. Cameron Bennett is back for his fourth year as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Dan Matthews (quarterbacks) and Greg Mayer (linebackers, freshmen) are the other coaches that came with Metzger to Pinecrest in 2007. Charlie Bradbury (running backs) has extensive experience as a college coach and begins his third year at Pinecrest.

"I worked for great guys and at a very young age had an athletic director and a principal that believed in me Metzger," says. "We screen our coaches specifically from the standpoint that first of all it's about character and how we do things. They have to believe in that, and we're going to ask for more in the off-season when it's not as much about football as it is about life lessons, ministering to the kids.

"The thing about these guys is they've been here all summer and are really interacting with the kids. They have the same philosophy of champions in life and using football as a vehicle."

The Patriots have gone from 3-8 in Metzger's first year to 7-5 in 2008, and 10-3 in 2009.

The first day of official practice for the 2010 season is Monday, August 2. The first regular season game is at home against Enloe on August 20.

The varsity staff also coaches the junior varsity team. Helping provide the building blocks for future success at the varsity level are the freshmen coaches. Mike Francis is back as the head coach. Returning assistants include Jim Byrd, Steve Knopfke, Ronshau Cole, George Outlaw and Steve Craven. Kevin Bean, a member of the 2009 squad, is a new addition.

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member 2 years, 10 months ago

I understand that people moving on to different, and possibly better, positions can be a good thing, but isn't it just as important to have consistency with something like this? I'll admit, my background isn't in coaching, but the job turnover rate seems awfully high under Coach Metzger.

member 2 years, 10 months ago

@ Gabanga-While I can't speak for the "dubious or non-existent teaching credentials" because I have never seen proof of this, I have to disagree completely about these young men "learning to be future aggressors and violent individuals". I have known many grown men that were part of football teams at all levels--middle school, high school, college and even professional teams that aren't violent or agressive individuals. I think over-generalizing and lumping all football players into this description is ignorant on your part and pretty unfair.

I'm sure all teachers at PHS, whether they are coaches or not, have the credentials to be there or they wouldn't be. It is pretty difficult to fake a degree or a Praxis test score. Whether you believe it or not, the Moore County Board of Education really does want qualified individuals teaching our students!

CONCUSSIONSMAKEYOUSTRONGER127 2 years, 10 months ago

@ member. Right On! Over the past four years, Pinecrest Football players have banished the “big-dumb jerk” stereotype. New assistant coaches have arrived with highly specific goals in mind, and our student-athletes are reaping the benefits. True, some coaches are recruited solely for their football expertise, but many more join Pinecrest to share their love of learning. As a matter of fact, just this year, every football player is being required to take at least one arts-based elective. Orchestra, band, chorus, debate, creative-writing, and drawing will soar to new heights as Pinecrest’s champions join their ranks. Furthermore, the pass/fail football class is being completely abolished. In past years, football players and parents cried-out about in-class boredom, dry course-catalogs and general academic disengagement – The case was made to end football class. Every month, Closed-door discussions centered on the pressing issue. On one side, the majority called-for an end to football class. Yet, a stingy minority held firm that coach-led word-of-the day sessions were more than enough intellectual-stimulation for one class-period. Fortunately, the newly-arrived football coaches voiced their discontent last month, and the debate screeched to an end: Football class will be no more. Clearly Gabanga is off-base. Football success at Pinecrest is not holding back our future math-majors. In fact, the complete opposite is true: With hefty financial resources, a progress-oriented school system, and a Great Head Coach, anything is possible.

Nicole 2 years, 10 months ago

Our children are so blessed to have coaches who really care not just about football, but also education. My son is a proud Patriot, this upcoming school year he will be a junior, he loves school now and wants to be successful in life and the football coaches have helped him. Coach Metzger is a wonderful man and he is a good example for these children, we are so glad to have him, now my son really believes anything is possible, God bless

member 2 years, 10 months ago

@ Gabanga--So what would you prefer these kids do? If you look at the NBA & college level basketball, they have quite a "rap sheet" as well. Are you looking to have all kids only participate in golf, tennis, chorus, and drama? Is football the only sport you'd like done away with? Did you have a bad experience with football in the past? Did you ever play football--or any other team sport??

SoPinesNo1 2 years, 10 months ago

Pinecrest has finally had a couple of decent years on the football field. They had a couple, years ago in Pinecrest's early years. There will continue to be good years and bad, but to blantantly claim a turn around and Metzger as the messiah is a bit premature.

It just appears that the coaches have succeeded in getting some of the athletic talent to do something other than drive around in mom's Mercedes looking to score drugs.

surprised 2 years, 10 months ago

@ Gabanga - - what do you have against the football program and the coaches... Personally, I would like to know who does not have the proper teaching credentials, because I'm sure if they don't, they aren't teaching a class. From what I recall, there are coaches who work in the special education department as teacher assistants. A department that needs all of the help they can get... So please let us know what teachers aren't qualified... And you keep going back to the violence in football, so I'm guessing you are anti-football. I have yet to go to a Pinecrest game and witnessed violence. I have witnessed football games, which happen all across America on Friday nights, Saturday mornings, Sunday afternoons, and other days during the week.. So PLEASE enlighten me as to which PHS football players are violent or how it is exactly that the coaches are teaching these kids violence... After speaking to SEVERAL players, I can't picture anything violent that these kids have done or will do. They are expected to maintain a certain GPA throughout the entire year, and if their grades slip, they spend time in study hall... On the field, they are expected to keep a cool head and if they do something that causes a penalty, guess what, they get a nice little chat from their coaches... PHS football has done a lot for this community, especially the kids. But not even the kids playing at PHS right now, the ones that are too young to even be in high school. Optimist, Parks and Recs and the middle school teams... So let me ask you again.. what do you have against football?? Have you ever been to a game? Have you actually met any players or coaches? I highly doubt it!!

member 2 years, 10 months ago

After talking with some people around the community, it seems like Coach Metzger is a pretty supersticious guy. I'm surprised that for someone who thinks it so important to wear the same outfit every Friday night to coach in would think the high turnover rate as a positive thing.

@ SoPinesNo1--It does seem people either have Metzger on a pretty high pedestal or he's really rubbed them the wrong way. Haven't talked to many that are wishy-washy about him. Seems he's either loved or hated. I do think that the ones that consider him a "god" of sorts, may have a letdown in the near future. I guess we'll see.