Ken Cribb embraces new challenge of competing in South Georgia

In some ways, Ken Cribb’s new job reminds him a lot of his arrival at Bluffton High seven years ago.

“They’re hungry; they have passion,” said Cribb, who stepped down from the Bobcats this week to become coach and athletics director at Georgia’s Wayne County High School.

“They want to be successful. It’s a great feeling to have that kind of community support to provide for their kids. It’s just a great opportunity. That community’s interest and passion has me excited.”

The challenge of coaching in a talent hotbed like South Georgia was simply too good for Cribb to pass up. Wayne County, based in Jesup, Ga., has won six region titles — most recently three years ago — and has produced three NFL players.

More recently, quarterback Greyson Lambert went from Wayne County to become a starter at Virginia and eventually to Georgia. Recent alumni also include Florida State cornerback Malique Jackson and former Wisconsin wideout Krenwyk Sanders.

“South Georgia is one of the premier places in the country to play high school football,” Cribb said.

Recent times have been a little tougher on the Yellow Jackets, though. Not only have they gone just 3-8 in each of the past two seasons, coach Derek Chastain abruptly stepped down last month after just one season.

Before that, Jody Grooms had to resign after he and his wife were arrested on charges of pilfering money from a school fundraiser. That came just two years after Grooms took the Yellow Jackets to the Georgia Class 4A semifinals.

Wayne County is the only high school in the rural county, a circumstance that allows Cribb to set the tone all the way into the youth programs.

“They’re all yours,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about them choosing to go to another school. You’ve got two middle school teams feeding into you. Every youth program in the county feeds into you. That’s a good thing.”

Changing states also will allow Cribb to enter South Carolina’s retirement system after three decades and seven different schools, while drawing a new salary at Wayne County.

“I’m a little sad, because he’s a good friend of mine,” said John Houpt, Cribb’s longtime assistant who was named Thursday as his successor. “But I’m also really excited for him. He’s really turned this program around, and we want to keep doing those things.”

Cribb compiled a 63-26 record at Bluffton, including a trip to the Class 3A state final in 2011 and two others to the Lower State final. Last year’s squad gave Cribb his second unbeaten regular season, before falling to Brookland-Cayce in the Lower State semifinals.

Cribb was the Island Packet/Beaufort Gazette’s Coach of the Year three times, including last season. The Bobcats also produced four IP/BG Defensive Players of the Year and three more on offense.

“Man, that’s packed,” Cribb said when asked about his fondest memories. “My time at Bluffton’s been nothing but a highlight video. We can sit here and debate the top 10 games of all time, get into a serious debate over that.”

He rattled off Bluffton’s triumph at Hartsville in the 2010 playoffs, punching the Bobcats’ ticket to the Lower State final. They lost to Myrtle Beach that time, but won the rematch a year later on the way to the state final.

There were Bridge Bowl wins over Hilton Head Island, including last season’s classic that went down to the final play. And, of course, “taking Bobcat Nation up to Clemson” for the 2011 state final.

Cribb will stay at Bluffton through spring break, giving himself two weeks to prepare for his first spring practice with the Yellow Jackets.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 7:51 PM with the headline "Ken Cribb embraces new challenge of competing in South Georgia."