The winningest head coach in East Jackson football’s 19-season history has stepped down from his position.
Cameron Pettus, who has led the Eagles for the last seven seasons, announced his decision via social media Tuesday morning. Pettus will coach tight ends and serve as run game coordinator under Heath Webb at Lumpkin County.
Pettus, who said he began contemplating stepping down over winter break, explained his decision to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“Seven years, you know, is it time to really take a step back and reflect and see what else?” Pettus said. “I’ve kind of been craving to get back into being just a football coach.
“Because, as you know, a head football coach does a lot of things besides coaching football, and it can kind of take you away from the game.”
A former tight end himself at Millikin University in Illinois, Pettus knew the Lumpkin County position was the right fit for him at the right time in his career.
“It’s fun, and it’s why we got into (it to) begin with. We love it so much, and just being able to coach it,” Pettus said. “Being a head coach, you just know what that guy’s going through. So any way I can help him in any capacity to help lighten his load and help him and help the kids win there, that’s my No. 1 goal.”
Pettus said he has known Webb for years, seeing him at football camps every summer. The two were talking this offseason about improving programs when the new position came up.
“I went up there and visited with them, and it just felt right,” Pettus said. “It just kind of timed up with what I was thinking about how I was feeling, being able to step back away from being a head coach and coach again.”
Pettus leaves East Jackson in a much better place than where it was when he started in 2019. The Eagles had one winning season in 12 seasons and had averaged 2.4 wins per season.
The program had five coaches in the first 11 years of its existence.
Pettus led East Jackson to three seasons with at least five wins and three playoff appearances, the first of which snapped a 12-year postseason drought. The Eagles averaged 3.9 wins per season under his leadership.
“I was taking down a picture (of) when we went to the playoffs again four years ago,” Pettus said. “Just the joy that I saw in the players, and the band was in the picture and cheerleaders, and everybody had just the joy of being able to flip what was going wrong and help get it going definitely in the right direction.”
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