The rumor mill continues to grind. In fact, the mill reaches ahigher gear after each football season.

Which coach is leaving?

Which coach is coming?

What coach is retiring?

What coach is going to stay?

Brookhaven athletic director and head football coach Greg Wallhas been the object of numerous rumors during the month ofNovember. The highly successful mentor has been coaching for 30years, the last five at BHS.

Wall coached the Panthers to a 7-3 record in 2000, including arunners-up finish in the Division 6-4A race. Brookhaven advanced tothe state playoffs and lost 20-13 to Gautier in the opening round.As the final minutes ticked off the clock, Q-102 sportscaster ChuckIvy made this observation.

“High authorities in the Brookhaven school system have indicatedthat this will be Greg Wall’s final game as head coach at BHS. Wewish him the best. Years from now, when he sits by the fireside,Coach Wall can look back on this group of Panthers with fondmemories because they accomplished so much.”

According to Wall, Ivy jumped the gun by at least a few weeks.Wall said he hasn’t made a final decision regarding his future. Hewill meet with Brookhaven Superintendent of Education Dr. SamBounds in January and review the situation at length.

A lifetime coach, the 53-year-old Wall has been coachingfootball for 30 years. His contract runs through June, 2001. IfWall decides to coach the Panthers again next season, he would bewelcome to do so. He enjoys coaching.

Wall’s won-lost record is impressive. He has a 35-17 worksheetat BHS. Included is the 1997 season when the Panthers realizedtheir best-ever record, going 12-1 and reaching the South State 4Achampionship game. Football is Wall’s life and he has accomplishedmuch on the gridiron.

He coached 25 years at South Pike and won two statechampionships. His overall record is 225-65-2.

Contacted Wednesday afternoon, Wall was busy ordering gamejerseys for the 2001 season. An athletic director’s work is neverdone.

Wall said that longtime friend and associate Clarence Morgan hasresigned his position of head football coach at South Pike andplans to retire. Morgan was an assistant coach at South Pike formany years before replacing Wall at the helm. They both are membersof a 1,400-acre hunting club in Amite County.

Plans are underway for the BHS Football Banquet. It will be heldTuesday, Dec. 19, at the Brookhaven/Lincoln County MultipurposeBuilding. Certainly, the Panthers accomplished great things thisyear in a major rebuilding campaign. Few folks had given them muchchance of winning more than two or three games but the Pantherskept improving each week.

Panther quarterback Fred Perkins was a catalyst in Brookhaven’ssuccess story. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 210 pounds, Perkinsran the option with authority. He has been contacted by severalmajor colleges interested in his football talents and plans aseries of campus visits.

This weekend, Perkins will make an official visit to theUniversity of Southern Mississippi. He will have a busy January,with campus visits planned Jan. 5 at Tulane; Jan. 12 at LSU, Jan.19 at Tennessee and Jan. 26 at Mississippi State.

Perkins said LSU has talked to him about playing wide receiver.In the season finale against Gautier, Perkins led the Panthers intackles from his strong safety position.

Excitement is rising on the Copiah-Lincoln Community Collegecampus at Wesson as the deadline for head football coach applicantsapproaches. Deadline is Monday, Dec. 4. The search committee,headed by Co-Lin athletic director Gwyn Young, will conductinterviews next week. Also on the committee are Brenda Smith, headof the Co-Lin Physical Education Department; Ray Ishee, Dean ofStudents; and Johnny Williams, computer instructor and assistantsoftball coach.

Eight coaches have applied for the position held by Phil Broomewho resigned earlier this month. Broome compiled a 30-30 record insix years at the helm, going 3-7 in 2000.

After reviewing the applicants, the search committee will makeits recommendation to Co-Lin President Dr. Howell Garner. Garnerwill meet with the Co-Lin Board of Trustees next Thursday night,Dec. 7, and hopefully reach a final decision.