Vicksburg High football players weigh in on Hughes firing

Friday’s firing of Vicksburg High school football coach Tim Hughes has been a shock to the Gator community, and many think the school made the wrong decision.

Members of the Gators football team, especially, are speaking out against it.

Gators offensive lineman Shardez Taylor is one of the key players upset about the school’s decision.

“This is the worst ever made,” Taylor said about the decision, adding, “Vicksburg no longer has a team until Coach Hughes gets back.”

Hughes just completed his second season at VHS this past year, ending with a 3-8 record. He inherited a team that lost 34 seniors in 2018, which has some questioning whether he has had enough time to turn the program around.

Most coaches who inherit a team that needs to be rebuilt are granted at least three years to show what they can do. For example, in his first two years at Warren Central High School, head coach Josh Morgan had 2-9 and 1-10 seasons, but his team has made the playoffs ever since.

VHS player Marvin Martin was another player who reached out to comment on the situation.

“I don’t like the decision they made to fire Hughes because they hired him to change the program around, and he started to do that,” Martin said, “but by them firing him, it only puts us a step backwards.”

VHS is now without a head football coach, but Hughes was also an algebra teacher at the school, which leaves that hole in the middle of the school year.

Other players also offered their comments.

“Coach Hughes was a great role model to us,” said Tommy Curtis III, “and he gave us life lessons while coaching football.”

“I think it was a bad decision,” said Roy Qualls, “and I feel that no one could make us better besides coach Hughes, and he was really making us better.”

“Coach Hughes was like family,” Laurence Sullivan said, adding, “He really cared about us, and he had big things planned to turn around the program.”

“I feel like there’s nothing without coach Hughes, and he showed us how to never give up,” Ramone Brown said. “He had a good plan and a good dream for us this year, and it has now been turned around.”

“If we don’t get Coach Hughes back,” Eric Wesley said, “it will not be a Gator football.”