Bulldogs' coach set to take off for SEC

He calls Missouri job place to grow

GREENWOOD -- Greenwood football coach Rick Jones, who won eight state championships in 16 seasons, is headed to the Southeastern Conference.

Jones told his players on Feb. 14 that he was leaving to take a job on new University of Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz's staff. Drinkwitz is from Alma and also coached in prep ranks in Northwest Arkansas.

Jones, 65, guided the Bulldogs to eight titles in 16 years at Greenwood, which ranks second all-time in the state behind the 10 titles won by Little Rock Central coach Wilson Matthews. Jones will take a job as a senior consultant at Missouri, he said.

Greenwood promoted offensive coordinator Chris Young to head coach Wednesday. Young, who is also an assistant principal at the Sebastian County school, has been at Greenwood since 2000. He was the only coach who stayed on Jones' staff from 2004-19. Greenwood won eight state championships under Jones (2005-07, 2010-12, 2017-18).

In April, Young was hired as Cabot's athletic director, but he resigned from the position less than three weeks after taking the job to return to Greenwood.

The Bulldogs were 10-2 in 2019, losing to eventual Class 6A state champion Searcy in the semifinals.

Jones had nothing but good things to say about his time at Greenwood. However, the 42-year coaching veteran from Oklahoma saw a chance to grow at Missouri.

"I raised my kids here," said Jones, whose birthday was Feb. 13. "We adopted one of our daughters here. We've had some of the greatest parents, coaches and kids here. It's just been the best job I've ever had. This community is so special. It's the best place in the world to work."

"I love coaching football, and I love coaching football here. On the other hand, I've got an opportunity to grow and to learn. You just never learn it all. There's a better way to do stuff, and that's what fascinates me."

Greenwood had won one state title before Jones arrived in town in 2004. He went 185-26. Jones has an overall career record of 317-74.

Greenwood athletic director Dustin Smith said Jones' contributions go far beyond wins and losses.

"There's no way to put into words what he's done here," Smith said. "His record speaks for itself. The greater impact is the one he's had in helping these guys become young men.

"We're tickled to death for him, but we hate it for us. On the other hand, we understand how awesome this opportunity is for him."

It won't be the first foray into the college coaching ranks for Jones. He coached wide receivers and running backs at Missouri State from 1992-94 before going to Broken Arrow, Okla., as head coach and then moving to Greenwood in 2004.

But Jones said he thought that Greenwood would not be his last stop. Jones has connections to Drinkwitz, who was hired in December.

"We're not tight buddies, but he's out of the Gus Malzahn tree, and I've gotten to know him," Jones said. "He was at Arkansas State, and we stayed in touch."

He understood the move to Columbia would be more off-the-field duties but said he's up for any challenge.

"I've been looking for something that's different," Jones said,. "Ideally, I'll bridge a lot of different areas. Maybe not coaching kids directly but coaching kids and helping coach coaches."

He said, "I just want to help the Tigers any way I can, whether that's sweeping the floors or making coffee."

SundayMonday on 02/24/2020

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