Jordan Taylor, Sports731 Network Reporter
McNairy Central High School has named Justin Truett as the school’s next Head Football Coach. Truett, who grew up and played High School ball in Huntingdon, brings collegiate playing and coaching experience to the Bobcats.
Truett comes from an educational family; his dad, Danny Truett was a high school coach and superintendent with stops at Huntingdon and Union City Schools respectively. Truett played college football at Cumberland University as the team’s quarterback before spending some time at the beginning of his coaching career under Jason Simpson at UT Martin. When Truett left UTM, he took a middle school head coaching job with Obion County Schools.
“That first middle school head coaching job was big for me because it prepared me for this job with McNairy, a system that gets kids ready starting in middle school just like Obion County Schools did,” Truett stated.
After taking a job at South Fulton as an offensive coordinator for a brief time, Pruett decided to take the defensive coordinator job under Scott Stidham who was formerly at South Gibson.
Truett credits Stidham, Shane Jacobs (Peabody HC), Tab Vowell (Peabody DC) and other coaches he coached under as major contributors to his growth as a coach.
“Without those guys I wouldn’t be where I am. They taught me a ton and I couldn’t have asked to work with a better group of men who are true leaders on and off the football field,” Truett said.
After Stidham left South Gibson, Truett made the transition to Peabody High School as an assistant coach for the previous two years. When the McNairy job came open, Truett knew Selmer was a town and community he wanted to join.
“You always want to go to a place where they put an emphasis on winning and not just winning ball games but also winning off the field in the classroom and in life. This was an opportunity where I felt I was the missing puzzle piece to trying to build McNairy Central football back to where it used to be,” Truett said.
The tradition at McNairy excites Truett for his future with the Bobcats. “The community support is unmatched; I look forward to being a part of a community that loves to support the student athletes in all aspects of their lives. I can’t wait to get feet on the ground and meet people throughout the Selmer community,” Truett said.
You can expect Truett’s team to play with extreme toughness and grit and give their all on Friday nights. He’ll work to fill his staff and get ready to wrap up winter workouts and prepare for spring practice in the future.
The Truett led Bobcats will open the season on August 23rd at home against Humboldt. Kickoff is set for 7pm.
