FLATWOODS —
High school football coach and teacher Lee Evans is all about organization.
“I’m a list guy, sheet protectors and all of that,” he said.
Evans lost his job as head coach at Boyd County in November after six seasons, turning that part of his life upside down.
“I obviously was looking for a new place,” he said.
In January, Evans had conversations with good friend Garry Morris, defensive coordinator at Russell, which led to Evans talking to head coach Ivan McGlone and ultimately landing on the Red Devils staff as an assistant.
He has also been hired to teach seventh-grade world history at Russell Middle School.
Evans, speaking during Russell’s recent fall sports picture day, related that he couldn’t ask for a smoother coaching transition.
“I’m excited,” Evans said. “It’s new. It’s different. But it’s a good new, and a good different. Coach McGlone has been great as he’s recovering (from back surgery) and the other coaches took me right in.”
All the better, of course, because Evans’ son Lance transferred to Russell back in the spring. The senior is projected to be the Red Devils’ quarterback after two years as a starter at Boyd County.
“I didn’t want to coach somewhere where (Lance) wasn’t,” Lee said. “I was not going to coach if I was not at a place with him.”
Certainly, Evans is thankful for the way all the pieces came together.
“God’s been awfully good to me,” he said. “Sometimes we don’t always get what we want. I was bitter in November. God’s got a plan and it’s not always the one I charted. I think God does things at times to let you know, ‘I’m in control and you are riding the boat.’”
Evans, 45, is entering his 24th year of high school coaching. He was a longtime assistant at Ashland before leaving to take the head coaching job at Boyd County.
“I graduated from Ashland and now have coached at the three closest, and largest schools,” he said. “I would never have imagined that.”
Evans is happy with his coaching responsibilities, helping assistant Dave Caniff with running backs as well as Jeff Smith with the defensive line.
More than that, Evans feels like he is truly contributing.
“That’s what I really want,” he said. “Coaching is a fraternity. I didn’t want to come in and ruffle feathers, but I wanted to be a part. It’s been an easy transition.”
McGlone called Evans a nice addition to the Red Devils’ staff.
“Lee’s a good human being, and does a good job coaching,” McGlone said. “He has a lot of experience. It can be difficult going from head coach to assistant, but I don’t think it’s been a problem for him.”
After coaching against the Red Devils through the years, he’s glad to be on McGlone’s side for a change.
“The success we’ve had against Russell has been kind of marginal,” Evans said. “Coach McGlone has won more games than I’ve coached in, from freshmen up.”
Evans came over with great respect for Russell’s close-knit staff. He joked about going from being the “old guy” at Boyd County to one of the younger coaches with the Red Devils, whose veteran assistants include Tracy Edwards, Smith and Morris.
“That staff has been together for 100 years, it seems like,” Evans said. “I’m grateful they accepted me as a part of it.”
McGlone also added former Red Devil player Chris Castle as an assistant this season. Castle is working with the freshmen team.
Russell’s opens the season Aug. 24 at Greenup County.
ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2671.
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New Russell assistant coach Lee Evans at practice with the Red Devils. Kevin Goldy / The Independent
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