Brown has core in place

Mike Duprez
Randolph Hub

ASHEBORO – Calvin Brown, like any football coach would, aspired to bring as much of his staff as possible to Asheboro when he became the Blue Comets’ coach.

Mission accomplished.

Brown was hired and began working at Asheboro in January following a successful run at nearby Providence Grove. Then he set about the process of assembling a staff. That’s not always a simple process because teaching positions have to be found for the assistant coaches. 

In the end, Brown was able bring over four assistant coaches from Providence Grove, including the offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator. He is, needless to say, happy.

“Absolutely,” Brown said. “I give a lot of credit for our success over the years to our coaching staff because one person can’t do it all. To have the core group come over here is huge. Both coordinators, our offensive line coach and secondary coach, that's the core of a coaching staff.”

Providence Grove won eight games in each of the last three full seasons under Brown’s direction and the Patriots were 4-3 in the COVID-shortened spring 2021 season. He’ll be trying to revive an Asheboro program that went 2-25 the last three seasons and last had a winning season in 2016.

Brown formally made the announcement on May 30 but the staff has actually been together for several weeks during spring practice. A formal announcement was held off as staff members wrapped up commitments to prior schools, Brown said. 

Here is the Asheboro football coaching staff:

*Glen Hunt (defensive coordinator/linebacker coach) — A 28-year coaching veteran, Hunt spent the last seven years as defensive coordinator at Providence Grove. He has 15 years of experience as a coordinator.

*Grant Handy (offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach) — Handy was the offensive coordinator at Providence Grove the last four years. He was on the Providence Grove staff for seven years. Handy will also serve as strength and conditioning coach.

*Jeremy Taylor (assistant defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach) — Taylor has spent the last seven years at Providence Grove. He was the junior varsity head coach and assistant defensive coordinator the last four years.

*Jacob Parrish (offensive line coach/run game coordinator) — Parrish was on the Providence Grove staff the last six years as the offensive line coach. He has also coached the defensive line.

*Jerry Spencer (defensive line coach) — Spencer has 16 years of experience as a football coach, including one season as head coach at East Montgomery. He has seven years of experience as a coordinator and was defensive coordinator the last two years at Morehead.

*Charlie Jones (running back coach) — A former head coach at Bishop McGuinness who retired last fall, Jones brings a wealth of experience to Brown’s staff. Jones has 36 years of coaching experience altogether and 28 as a head coach.  

*Nick Goard (assistant defensive backs coach) — Goard was on former Asheboro coach Blake Brewer’s staff the last three years. He was previously the wide receivers coach.

Another positive development for the Blue Comets is their new weight room.

“It’s a state of the art facility,” Brown said. “There’s not many schools in the state of North Carolina that have a facility like that. Our administration — our principal and superintendent — and the community have played a big part in it.”

And it’s the foundation of Asheboro’s rebuild.

“It's a huge thing for us,” Brown said. “That’s where the work begins, not just for football but any sport. We’ve gotten stronger and faster. A majority of the football players are in weight lifting class with me.”

Brown was pleased to be able to start at Asheboro in January, so he could get a head start on installing his system.

“If you can’t start in January, you end up getting a year behind,” Brown said. “Starting in January is huge when you’re taking over a program.”

Asheboro opens the 2023 season on Aug. 18 at home against Albemarle.