It is not just the college coaches on a carousel these days, but high school coaches are spinning, too.
The one affecting this area of 5A is the Columbus coaching change.

Columbus made a bid to stop South Panola in its winning streak October 12. They had the Tigers in their claws, but with the Tiger bite had to let them go.

Now, they have hired Bubba Davis who coached West Point to four state championships; 1982, 1987, 1988 and 1989. He left West Point in 1993.

He served as head coach at New Albany last year before taking the Columbus job.

Not only did Columbus pull this big coup, they also elevated 3A head coach Grady McCluskey from Franklin County to take the offensive coordinator position under Davis. Davis is his former high school coach.

Dr. Del Phillips is superintendent of Columbus Schools. He is a former principal of South Panola High School.

It seems the competitive edge has gotten sharper. What would a superintendent who was instrumental in bringing in the coach to start this win streak have to prove to a new school who wants a win streak of their own? What a dilemma Phillips must be facing now.

Who else, coaching-wise, is available who may want to join this staff and try to be the ones to stop the Tiger streak?

We will have to keep a close watch on our 1-5A district opponents. It definitely will make the 2008 season something to look forward to.

South Panola has a top-notch coaching staff. The coaches who did not stay are also top-notch. They got training under the best.

These coaches came in this year and sold the team on remaining undefeated throughout 2007. That was no small feat. It may have looked iffy to those players if they could continue the streak when most of the coaching staff left, but they brought in to it.

They believed in the coaches who already believed in them before they came here.

So let’s put the doubts and negative talk aside and get behind the team for next year.

It looks like it’s going to be a battle.