Note: This story was last updated at 3:31 p.m.
Former Oak Ridge High School football coach Joe Gaddis is returning to Oak Ridge, school officials announced Monday.
Gaddis will be a teacher and head football coach at Oak Ridge High School. He will replace Scott Blade, who resigned to accept a position in Williamson County.
Gaddis has an overall 258-112 record in his 30 years as head coach. Almost half of those wins—or 119 of them—came while he served as head coach at Oak Ridge High School, where he coached from 1988 until 1998, an Oak Ridge Schools press release said.
The press release said Gaddis is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and has been coaching at Peabody High School in Trenton, Tenn., where he has an overall record of 9-4 and won the district championship for the first time since 1992.
The release said Gaddis’ 119-24 record at Oak Ridge is the best in the school’s history. Gaddis led the Wildcats to a 14-1 record and the Class AAA state championship in 1991.
“Under Gaddis, the Wildcats made 10 playoff appearances in 11 years, and the team produced nine seasons with 10 wins or more,” the release said.
He has previously coached in Henry County, Tenn., where he took his teams to three straight Class 4A semifinal games. He has also held coaching positions in Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina.
“The selection of Coach Gaddis culminates a month-long search for a teacher and head football coach at Oak Ridge High School,” the school system said in its press release. “During the selection process, approximately 49 formal applications were received with another 50-plus expressions of interest through resumes, letters, and calls. Seven candidates were brought in for formal interviews. Coach Gaddis was the unanimous choice of the interview committee.”
The high school will have an informal meet-and-greet reception for Gaddis at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Wildcat Arena. The public is welcome to attend.
“We are pleased to have Coach Gaddis return to lead the Wildcats,” Oak Ridge Schools Interim Superintendent Bob Smallridge said.
Sam Hopwood says
As an alumnus and former wildcat, I am disappointed that OR did not go in another direction. That is all I will say.
Steve Mason says
Gaddis is now making some pretty wild promises (like winning every game). Maybe he can make good on it since Oak Ridge is playing in 5A and doesn’t have to play Maryville, but one has to wonder how fast the fan support will waver when there is a loss.
Sam Hopwood says
I firmly believe that the School Administration and BOE have made a huge blunder. There is far more to this than just a football coach. What were they thinking??
Lee Vowell says
Thanks for this article, John. Much better than the one in the Oak Ridger. You have proved once again that you should be THE read if people want to know what is truly going on in Oak Ridge.
Jason Allison says
welcome home coach
Aaron Wells says
Great day for Oak Ridge, The Boys Club Alumni Association is behind Coach Gaddis 100%. Roll Wildcats Roll…