After two years at South Cobb High School, Derek Cook has found his way back to Kell.

History, they say, has a way of repeating itself.

In 2001, Cook took the job as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at South Cobb. After four years, he took a job at Kell. A season later, Cook packed up and went back to South Cobb, this time to be the head coach.

"You want to be a head coach," Cook said.

He spent two years in charge, compiling a 9-12 record, and built what he calls a nice team with a developing program. Things were on the rise and his players were responding to the system Cook had set in place. But the kids that mattered most rarely made it on to the football field. Working a one-hour drive from home, Cook was missing out on his children's lives.

"When they would say or do something for the first time, I wasn't there because I was so far away," said Cook, whose young children were regularly asleep by the time he would get home during the season. "But I had to make a decision about my own children and get me around them more often. So here I am again."

Here are three things to know about Kell's new coach and some of his plans for the team:

Run the ball, play fundamental defense

Under previous coach Irv Sigler, the Longhorns were a passing team. That will change.

"They just threw the ball a bunch, like 40 to 50 times," Cook said. "We're going to run it 40 or 50 times a game. That's just my philosophy and I like to do that. We've got the running back and we'll get the offensive line as quickly as possible."

Don't be fooled by what you see. Cook will run what is known as the spread offense, used by such pass-first teams as the University of Hawaii. And he does want to throw the ball, maybe 30 percent of the time, he said.

But the game plan is running the ball despite a system that shows sets with three, four or even five wide receivers at a time.

"It helps your defense if your offense can hold the ball and move the chains," he said. "It keeps your defense fresh and strong and able to stop the other team."

On defense, Cook will run a 4-4 scheme (four defensive linemen and four linebackers). They'll have some three-man front defensive packages ready for passing situations.

"We're going to be a physical defense," he said. "We'll try to cause some havoc and blitz when it's appropriate. But we just need to play sound, fundamental defense and make them run sideline to sideline instead of right at us."

A little help from his friends

Cook will implement a program of workouts at Kell, but the summer will start by working on the team.

"We're just going to do some team building activities over the summer," Cook said. "We'll do things that help to build trust and camaraderie. It's not about the individual, it's about the whole. The more they focus on the success of everyone, ironically the success of the individual will follow. It's about Kell football."

To help make his transition to Kell easier, Cook has spent time with his coaching friends at Kennesaw Mountain to see how they run their program.

"I've never met too many coaches who were real stingy and wouldn't share what they've got," Cook said. "To put it in its simplest term, we kind of steal from each other. It's just a nice deal to be able to share like that."

A true family man

Cook was more than happy coaching at South Cobb. But some things weren't working out. Like Sundays, when Cook would have to drive an hour each way just to study film on his upcoming game. So when the Kell position became available, Cook jumped at the chance.

He missed being with his daughter, Chloe, his son, Cade, and his wife, Courtney.

"I can now be a part of their lives and they can be a part of my career," Cook said. "It's just a great environment for my kids to grow up around. It was hard for them to come to practice at South Cobb."

But that won't be the case at Kell.

"My wife will swing by practice on the way home, swing open the door and they'll be a couple of scurrying kids across the field," Cook said. "I'll roll around and get dirty for a little and then get back to practice."

COOK'S RECORD

Derek Cook will be entering his third season as a head coach:

Year....Team..........Results

2007....South Cobb....2-8, missed playoffs

2006....South Cobb....7-4, first round of playoffs

KELL'S RECORD

Yearly results for the Longhorns, who began full varsity play in 2003:

Year....Record ..Coach

2007....2-8......Irv Sigler

2006....5-5......Irv Sigler

2005....8-4......Irv Sigler

2004....3-7......Kirk Cross

2003....8-2......Greg Vandagriff