Tom notts leaving Duke?

Knotts' future unclear after O'Brien statement


Former Independence coach linked to at least 1 high school position

[size=-1]KEN TYSIAC[/size]

[size=-1]Raleigh Bureau[/size]



DURHAM - New Duke offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien was crystal clear about his position coaching responsibilities Friday at a news conference introducing him.

"I'll be coaching quarterbacks," he said.

What's unclear is what that means for former Independence High coach Tom Knotts, a Duke alumnus who coached quarterbacks in 2004 for the Blue Devils. Asked about Knotts, O'Brien said he would let head coach Ted Roof answer that when he returns to town.

Duke sports information director Art Chase said Roof was out recruiting and unavailable for comment. Chase said Knotts remains under contract and still is working for Duke.

Knotts, reached Friday by the Observer, declined comment.

Knotts has been linked to at least one high school head coaching position. Pete Shankle, the athletics director at Southern Durham High, said he had heard Knotts might be interested in the vacant position there and called Knotts to discuss it.

Shankle declined to discuss further details.

"All I can say is that I've called Tom and we've talked," Shankle said. "...I'd be a fool not to be interested in Tom Knotts."

In Knotts' last four seasons at Independence, the Patriots were 63-1 and won four state Class 4A titles. He left with a state-record 62 straight victories, a mark Independence extended to 77 games with its fifth straight title in 2004.

Bill Geiler, who replaced Knotts at Independence, resigned to become the first coach at Porter Ridge High, which opens in May in Union County.

O'Brien, the former running backs coach at Maryland, replaces Marty Galbraith, whom Roof did not retain after the Blue Devils ranked last in Division I-A in total offense at 266.5 yards per game.

 

I think there's some discussion of this in the prep forum.

 

what that means is Knotts is gone.

He can't coach quarterbacks any more?

He's going to take a demotion?

at dook?

I don't think so.

 

How much do HS coaches make? Do they basically make teachers salaries? Do they have to be teachers also? Seems like any position on a college team would have to pay much more than a HS job.

 

In NC you make the your salary as a teacher plus what ever the state pays coaches, which in NC is next to nothing. They also have to teach unless they are also the AD. (I think that's right).

In SC it's a diffrent story. I had heard that the previous coach at Gaffney was making close to 90,000 dollars a year when he was fired. Assistant coaches are making 60,000 a year at places like Rock Hill. The Coach also doesn't have to teach in SC. They also get sweet car deals and the likes. Just a diffrent world on SC. Tom Knotts should head South of the Border if he's going back to HS.

 

I wonder what it's like in Georgia? I bet Knotts is wishing he had taken that Valdosta job now.

I'm sure he makes more money as a dook assistant than any high school job around here but I can't believe he would want to stay at dook with a reduced role. Can't be good for the resume.

 

I had heard Coach Massey at Ktown was making in the $90k to $100k range a few years ago...

 

That seems to be a lot of money for a NC coach.

 

Old news.

 

Seems Independence contracted him again since the job there is open.