Bluffton football coach resigns after five seasons
John Houpt is stepping down as Bluffton football coach after five seasons.
Houpt posted a message on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon, thanking the Bluffton players, coaches and community.
“I will always cherish every moment with Bobcat Nation, from the times when we were picking up trash late at night on Spring Break to the times we were region champions,” Houpt said. “I hope that all the players that have been a part of my life know that you have been just as impactful on me as I hope I was for you. Your desire to be great pushed me each day to be as great as you.
““I want to give a huge thank you to all the faculty, staff and coaches that I have had the privilege to work with at Bluffton High as none of the things we were able to accomplish could have been done without the support of each and every one of you.”
Houpt told The Island Packet on Tuesday evening that he hasn’t ruled out coaching again but not as a head coach right now. He said he wants to spend more time with his family and enjoying seeing all that his kids are doing.
Houpt will finished out the year teaching at Bluffton.
“This was a decision that was hard for me but felt it was the right time,” Houpt said.
Houpt went 16-29 during his time at Bluffton. The Bobcats went 2-8 this season and lost in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs to North Augusta, 31-12, last week.
Houpt replaced Ken Cribb as the school’s head coach in 2017 when Cribb took a job in Georgia. He applied for a job at Bluffton coming out of college but didn’t get it then but was hired for a spot in 2007.
Houpt was a defensive coordinator when Bluffton enjoyed a fruitful run from 2010-12. That stint included a trip to the 2011 Class 3A title game, sandwiched by seasons that ended in the Lower State final.
The Bobcats went 8-3 in Houpt’s first season as head coach. In 2018, Bluffton won the Region 7-4A championship in the school’s first season in Class 4A.
This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 5:03 PM.
