Lovett's Muschamp happy coaching high school
For six years, Lovett coach Mike Muschamp was an assistant in college football with the same ambition as his brother Will, now the defensive coordinator and head coach-designate at the University of Texas.
Mike was on the staff at West Alabama in 1997 when the head coach was canned and Mike took over in the interim.
Muschamp recommended that the school hire the defensive coordinator, who had 25 years of experience. The school took his advice. The next day, Muschamp was fired by the coach he recommended.
“That was a serious kick in the shorts,” said Muschamp, who left college ball for good in 2000. “I learned a lot from that one. Maybe it was the best thing that happened to me.”
Mike Muschamp has found peace of mind on high school sidelines.
On Friday night under dim lights, a crowd of about 2,000 watched Lovett, ranked No. 3 in Class AA, struggle against region-rival Towers on a soggy field at Avondale Stadium.
Mike calls his brother lucky. Not because he’s coaching in college, but because he’s got one of the good jobs. The way Mike figures it, they’re rare in college.
“Most of those guys are always looking for their next job,” Mike said. “They’re networking, calling their buddies. It’s a constant roller coaster looking for job security. All it takes is two losing seasons.”
Lovett can’t fathom two losing seasons, especially now, a week after it ended the 32-game winning streak of Buford. Entering Friday’s game, Lovett was 43-14 in Muschamp’s five seasons. The affection between school and coach hasn’t been better.
“A parent of a player could not want a better situation for their son,” said Bill Carkhuff, father of Lovett quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff. “He loves these kids whether they’re a first-teamer or the last guy on the squad. They know it, and they produce for him.”
Richard Gerakitis, a Lovett graduate from 1974 who broadcasts the team’s games, doesn’t worry that college ball will lure him away.
“I don’t think that’s what he wants,” Gerakitis said. “He likes the kids too much. He likes teaching too much. He enjoys going up against Jess Simpson at Buford and Gerry Romberg at Westminster.”
Muschamp, a Rome native who is the son of a high school coach and principal, says high schools are where he can do the most good. He relishes teaching his four P.E. classes at the middle school.
“At the high school level, you’ve got a much more immediate impact, and you see it quicker,” Muschamp said. “And it’s a more pure game of football. Colleges recruit kids to fit their system. They spend time to woo them to their campus. In high school football, it’s who shows up. You have to tweak your system to fit what kids can do.”
Still, he gets calls from college coaches.
“But I’m happy where I am,” Muschamp said. “This is the best job I’ve had in my career. I’ve got great support from administration, great kids, great parents. For me to leave, it would have to be something really special, and in my experience in college football, those are rare.”
-- Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily
