BELDEN, Miss. (WTVA) - Tupelo Christian Prep named its new football coach on Thursday afternoon, promoting assistant coach Shaune Holiday to head coach.
The TCPS football program is still young, and there are some challenges ahead.
"We want to grow in numbers, but the guys that we do have, the upside is, the guys that we have, they love to work," Holiday said. "Even though a lot of them are still younger guys, it takes the young guys to make the program grow."
Shaune Holiday, who spent the 2011 season as an assistant coach for the Eagles, takes over for Aubrey Boren. Boren will remain the team's strength and conditioning coach and the school's Athletic Director.
Boren introduced Holiday at a press conference at the school, saying that Holiday's character and leadership make him perfect for his new role.
"He brings so much passion," said Boren. "Wherever he is, there's people behind him, these kids are behind him, and TCPS football is just, I think, primed and ready to explode. If we can fulfill the theme 'All in, All out, All day' here at TCPS, it's going to be an exciting future for our athletics."
Holiday introduced Grant Smallwood as the school's new offensive coordinator and Tupelo-native and former South Carolina running back Deandre Eiland as the school's new defensive coordinator.
"Assistants are huge," said Holiday. "I remember watching Florida State growing up, [and] every year somebody was trying to get Bobby Bowden's assistants. The assistants make the program."
The Eagles will play a two quarter game against Baldwyn on August 10th. Holiday and TCPS begin their 2012 season with a road game against Strayhorn on August 17th.
The 25th season of Friday Night Fever also begins on August 17th.
In addition to taking over as the head coach of the football team, Holiday is also an assistant baseball coach at TCPS.
