Hertford County football has new head coach

Click to view

By Thadd White
Roanoke-Chowan News Herald

AHOSKIE - Hertford County High School didn't look far to find a new Head Football Coach.

Scott Privott, who has guided the fortunes of the HCHS Junior Varsity football squad for six years, was promoted to Head Varsity Football Coach last week. Privott replaces Diego Hasty who left the school system after two years when his teaching position was eliminated as part of a staff reduction within Hertford County Public Schools.

"It's a dream come true," Privott said by telephone Wednesday morning. "It's a humbling experience to be able to coach here and follow legends like Daryl Allen."

Privott knows all about the history of the Herford County program, having played for Allen during his career at what was then Ahoskie High School. He was a 1986 graduate of that school.

Hertford County High School Athletic Director Charles Simmons said he felt Privott was the correct choice for the job.

"I feel good about it," said Simmons. "He knows the kids because he has worked with them for so long. He understands what Mr. (Jerry) Simmons wants from the program as far as a principal's perspective and what I want from the program."

Privott began his coaching career in 1991 when he took a job on the staff of the HCHS program. He was then named Head JV coach in 2003. In the six years that have followed, his teams have won a pair of Northeastern Coastal Conference championships.

The new coach has already had his initial meeting with the players who will be returning next year.

Privott said he wouldn't be making a lot of changes to the offense Hasty ran, even though both Hasty and Offensive Coordinator Brian Overton have moved on. (Overton left for another job earlier this month.)

"I'm not going to change much," said Privott, who called all the plays for the Junior Varsity squad's offense. "Antonio (Vaughan) is so comfortable in what we've been doing. He's excited about it."

Vaughan is the returning starter at quarterback for the Bears. Last year he was named Northeastern Coastal Conference Player of the Year from that spot.

Privott said since he was named Head Coach, he had been able to speak to only one former coach of the program and that was Dealton Cotton, who coached the Bears for two years before moving on to Maury High School in Virginia. Cotton is now an assistant coach at Old Dominion University.

"I had a long talk with Coach Cotton," said Privott. "We had a good talk and now I'm looking forward to talking to Coach Allen."

Privott becomes the seventh head football coach at Hertford County.