In four years as head football coach of the Greenback Cherokees, Justin Ridge put together a record of 30-15 overall and 12-8 in district play, taking the team as far as the 1A state quarterfinals. That success has now taken him to the ranks of 6A football as he has accepted the coaching vacancy at William Blount High School, where he graduated in 1998.
“It's a good opportunity,” Ridge said. “I feel like I got Greenback where we were at a point where if I stepped away, honestly, it wouldn't affect the program that much with the way the coaching staff that was in place, the way they operated with me not being in the building. It was probably a good move for both parties. For me to come back to where I graduated from, I think that would be special for anybody, so it is for me.”
Ridge, 32, was an assistant at Greenback for a total of six years before taking the reigns of the program in 2009.
“For a third of my life I've been at Greenback,” he said. “It really has been a big part of my life and I hold a lot of good friends there and a lot of good memories. That's always going to be a special place to me.”
The announcement that Ridge would accept the position at William Blount was made official Thursday.
“Coach Ridge is well respected by his peers in the classroom as well as on the field,” William Blount athletics director Mike Brewer said. “Coach will bring leadership as well as stability as he guides this football program. After speaking with coach Ridge, there is no doubt that he will work hard, instill character within our program, build relationships, work with and in the community and invest in our feeder programs.”
After making the transition to the Loudon County Schools central office this year, Ridge will move back into the classroom as a teacher at William Blount.
“I will be probably doing some type of instructional coaching, or data coaching, as well,” Ridge said. “They have told me that I'll be taking part in that too, just at the high school. It will be a combination of teaching and the same stuff I was doing with the central office in Loudon County.”
Greenback players met with Ridge Thursday morning as the coach informed them of his decision.
“It was tough for me,” Ridge said. “I told them I felt like they had a really good chance to be really successful next year again. I truly believe they do with the coaching staff they've got, and we were undefeated on JV last year. I think they're set up for success. I told them about how much I've enjoyed them and how I really wanted them to still think of me as their coach, and making sure they knew it wasn't about them.
“It wasn't about me going to anywhere to necessarily improve myself, it was just the right move for me professionally and for my family at this time,” he  said. “A good opportunity for one of the coaches on the staff to become a head coach. It all kind of worked out. I think they understood that and I think they're excited about this upcoming season.”
It did not take Greenback long after the announcement of Ridge's acceptance of the position at William Blount to make their own announcement about the future of the program at Greenback, naming Jason Hicks head coach. Hicks served as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Ridge for the past two seasons. His offense at Greenback averaged 41.6 points per game in 2012.
“He has been a vital part of the football program,” Greenback athletics director Lori Guillemet said. “Jason is the embodiment of Chip Kelly's ‘win the day' philosophy, both in the classroom and on the football field. His leadership skills have inspired students and athletes to do their best every day and to work toward their goals.
“His passion, organization and enthusiasm are derived from his years playing football for Maryville High School, combined with his nine years service in the U.S. Army and his previous coaching positions,” she said.
Hicks, 34, graduated from Tennessee Tech in 2008 after his stint in the military. He was an assistant at Greenback in 2008 and at Heritage in 2009 and 2010 before returning to Greenback in 2011.
“It's very exciting, I feel very blessed to have the opportunity,” Hicks said. “The kids are comfortable with the way I do things and they know I have high expectations and I don't think they would have it any other way. I've been here for two years, I was the OC, so they know me and I know them and they know what my expectations are. It's a very exciting time.”
Preparation for next season, Hicks said, will begin right away.
“We've got a lot of work to do, a lot of things to improve on,” he said. “We're going to get in the weight room here starting on Monday and get back at it and start getting ready for next year. We've had the ‘win the day' philosophy here for two years now and we're going to strive to meet that. We're not worried about spring practice right now, we're not worried about the fall, we've got to get better on Monday before any of that can happen.”
Next for Ridge is officially making the transition to Blount County's school system.
“I'm in the process of working through my contract with Loudon County, or working out the details and the transition over this spring or this semester at some point,” he said. “At this level of coaching in the sport of football, with the number of players you have to manage and the number coaches that are involved and the competition, it's really a handicap not to be in the building in the spring semester of the year. It's something I'm working toward and still working that out to get in the exact time and the end of that transition.”
Ridge said there was a benefit to making the jump from 1A to 6A — not having to meet Greenback on the field.
“I think I can still have a good relationship there and hopefully those kids can keep on having success,” he said. “I really think they've got a good team coming up next year.”