After four seasons away from football, Eddie Creech is glad to be back.
Creech was named the new middle school football coach (grades 6-8) for Harlan County on Monday, replacing his former quarterback, Jacob Branson, who stepped down after last season.
“I am very excited to be back on the field again. I am ready to get to work,” said Creech, who is an assistant principal at Harlan County High School. “We will try and build this thing on hard work, accountability, and a winning mentality and approach.”
A former star quarterback and point guard at Cumberland High School, Creech began his coaching career at his alma mater under Jon Reynolds. He them moved to the HCHS staff when the school opened in 2008 and worked with the quarterbacks on regional championship teams in 2010 and 2012.
He took over as head coach in 2015 and led the Bears to their third regional title in 2017 as they worked their way though a gauntlet of tough opponents, all on the road, with wins at Pulaski County, North Laurel and Southwestern before falling 27-20 at Madison Southern in the 5A state semifinals. The Bears won a district title in 2018 and captured five postseason victories over a three-year span. Creech stepped down after six seasons as head coach.
He has been coaching basketball on the elementary school and middle school level the past five years, which means he’s very familiar with the athletes he will be coaching next fall. Creech led the Harlan County sixth-grade basketball team to a regional title last season and has won numerous AAU titles with the Harlan County Heat program.
“I have been fortunate to have coached the younger levels in this county for past five years, and I see so much potential for this football team,” Creech said.
Creech said all the coaches from last year’s middle school teams will remain with the program, and he plans to add Denny Farmer and Needham Saylor, both who helped him on the HCHS staff for several years.
“We will be visiting all schools in the next two weeks,” Creech said. “Spring practice will be re-implemented, and we’ll set up a schedule with HC coaches to use the new weight room in the off-season. All practices will be at HCHS as well as dressing in a brand-new facility.”
Creech said he plans several schedule changes and hopes to participate in 7-on-7 tourneys over the summer.
