Today's interviewee is Appling County coach Rick Tomberlin, whose team avenged a 2018 loss to Vidalia with a 24-0 victory last week. Tomberlin came out of retirement last season to become coach and athletic director at his alma mater. His first team went 6-5, an improvement of three wins. Tomberlin's record in 33 seasons as a Georgia head coach is 253-124. He won state titles at Washington County in 1994, 1996 and 1997.
Rick Tomberlin, Appling County head coach
1. Appling won its first opening game since 2014 at Vidalia. How significant was that? "It's the biggest win we've had since I've been there. Like most people in south Georgia, they love their high school football here and love their team. There's a lot of school spirit, and they're hungry for a winner. We beat a good team on the road, so I think people are excited. It ignites more interest in the team around the county and the city of Baxley. The place abuzz right now. That's a good thing."
2. Where has the team and program improved the most since you arrived? "We had a winning season last year and beat Liberty County [the defending Region 2-AAA champion] at home. That was a significant win. It was a shutout, in fact. We had to get that weight room going. The pros draft talent. Colleges recruit talent. We have to develop ours, so we hit it in earnest in the weight room. We made such a big deal of it that the board of education bought us a new weight room. We sold that idea to coaches and players. We're also getting the athletes walking the halls into coming out. We've got a good middle school program. I've got middle school kids telling me they want to be a Pirate. There are no shortcuts, especially in football, but we're starting to see our hard work pay off. We won our preseason game 21-0. Then we beat Vidalia 24-0. We haven't given up a touchdown this year. I know one was preseason, but we are stronger and more physical and have more reserve in the fourth quarter. I believe they're starting to believe."
3. You retired after coaching Effingham County in 2012 and again after coaching Calvary Day in 2016. Why did you come back? "It just gets in your blood. I love coaching. It's a calling. I'm 62. My birthday was Saturday, and I feel great. I had a little scare at Calvary, a little issue with my blood pressure. I lost weight and started exercising. I felt like when I retired at Calvary [after a 10-1 finish and a region title] that I was on top of my game from the standpoint of leadership and developing coaches and motivation. When the Appling job came open and people called me, I thought sure, I'd love to go back to my hometown. I think I've got several good years left."
4. There are more than 40 head football coaches in Georgia working at their alma maters [see today's List]. What's the pull there for you and so many other coaches to return to their roots? "It's having people that know you. It's closer to your heart. Some of my assistants laugh when somebody will come up and tell me they remember when I played Little League baseball, that I was the biggest 12-year-old they ever saw, they remember my first home run. It's no different than Kirby Smart going back to Georgia or anybody going back to the school where they graduated. It means more. You want to help your school. It's where you have emotional ties. I want to be part of helping Appling County move forward and help the entire athletic program and the facilities and project them into the future."
Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.
About the Author
