By Angie Ledbetter

Trey Dickerson’s decision to return to South Panola as offensive coordinator after head coaching at Hattiesburg High School for only a year was strictly a family decision.

“First of all my step daughter had never adjusted to the move and my daughter still lives here with my ex-wife,” he said. “It’s not an easy decision anytime you’re taking a large pay cut, but at some point the priority has to be more than money. So that’s the decision we made and we’re going to stick with, but I am excited about it.”

When Dickerson took the job at Hattiesburg he never really thought about returning to South Panola.

“When I took that head job I really never thought about returning here,” he said. “I was just doing what I had to do while I was there.”

According to Dickerson his first year as head coach was a great learning experience. He directed the team to a 6-6 record and a spot in the playoffs.

“It’s a lot more than just being a coordinator and an assistant,” Dickerson said. “You have to deal with all of the problems and worry about coaching a position or getting a game plan together.

“I guess I liked being a head coach,” he added. “There are a lot of things you have to do that as a head coach that people don’t know.”

Dickerson met with head coach Lance Pogue on Friday.

Dickerson’s first official start date is March 26 after he officially resigns from Hattiesburg.

“It was kind of a last-minute deal,” said new Hattiesburg head coach Danny Nowell in the Hattiesburg American. “I got to be really good friends with Coach Dickerson, and I hated to see him go. I’ve been a head coach before, and (Athletic Director Cheyenne Trussell) asked me if I would do it, and I said, ‘yes.’”
Nowell was the defensive coordinator under Dickerson.