Family and opportunity.
Those are probably the best two words to explain why highly successful Covington football head coach J.R. Kirby is leaving the Chargers to take the same job at state power Henry County.
He made it official on Tuesday when he submitted his resignation to Tipton County Schools. Also on Tuesday he broke the news to Covington’s football players. After that meeting, they broke it down (a traditional activity the team does after games) to signify the end of Covington High football era.
“Quiet,” Kirby said Tuesday afternoon when asked to describe the mood in the locker room. “That’s the best word I can say. They’re teenagers so they probably don’t understand. They’re still processing it, I think.”
It’s quite an opportunity for Kirby to become the head coach at Henry County. While the Covington football program has a very rich history, Henry County is one of the few West Tennessee football programs with a history that is richer.
The Patriots have won two state titles (2013 and 2011) and have been to the playoffs every year since 2005. Henry County plays in Class 5A, which is a step up in high school football hierarchy from 3A, which Covington plays in.
“That’s a job you can’t turn down when it comes open,” Kirby said. “It’s hard to say no. It checks a lot of boxes.”
Kirby interviewed for the job last week after Henry County head coach James Counce Jr. left to take the head coaching position at Rockvale High School in Middle Tennessee. After talking with school officials in Paris and members of that community, Kirby was convinced he wanted the job.
“A lot of people in that community have reached out to me and the support has been unbelievable,” Kirby said. “It’s one of the best jobs in West Tennessee and the state.”
Another factor was more personal. Several Covington assistant coaches have recently left their positions for various reasons. Kirby’s best friend and a CHS assistant coach, Bobby Wilson, recently died.
“That’s had a big effect on me,” Kirby said.
And then there’s family.
Kirby’s oldest daughter is a senior at UT-Martin and his youngest daughter, a senior at Covington, will enroll there next fall. Martin and Paris are just 31 miles apart.
“It feels like my family is headed in that direction,” Kirby said.
Jackson Kirby, an all-state lineman at Covington last fall who will be a senior next year, will follow his father to Paris.
“He’s riding with me,” Kirby said. “I talked to him about it before I took the job and he gave me his blessing. That was a big deal.”
Kirby will go down in history as one of the most successful coaches at Covington.
During his six seasons at CHS, Kirby was 61-16. His teams made the state quarterfinals three times and the semifinals twice. The only season his team lost earlier in the playoffs was the 2020 COVID season.
“Covington is a great place,” Kirby said. “It’s been good to me and my family. This is just a better opportunity for me and my family. I’m going to miss the people at Covington, but I’m excited about a new chapter.”
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