Warren County's new coach is a hit

The area's newest high school football head coach had an interesting genesis with his Warren County team.

The current members of the team got to ask Lee Hutto questions. And they liked his answers.

"It was a great idea," Hutto said. "A lot of times you can't fool a kid. You can't talk circles around them. They'll look you in the eyes and hear what you have to say and know if you're genuine or not."

The football team unanimously voted for Hutto to be its coach. So did the search committee, which was filled with members from every walk of life in Warrenton - the booster club, the churches, downtown businesses, the recreation department and the county school system.

For Hutto, this is more an opportunity to return to his roots than a chance to bolster his rsum.

Hutto graduated from Thomson and played football for Luther Welsh. He was on Welsh's staff, coaching defensive linemen from 1999-2003. His wife, Hollie, is a Warrenton native.

Welsh said he thinks Hutto is the ninth of his assistant coaches to become a head coach.

"He's a high-energy and a detail- oriented person," Welsh said. "He doesn't take time off. He'll put in the work, and he has an excellent knowledge of the game."

Former Thomson offensive coordinator Rob Ridings brought Hutto along when he was named the head coach at Glynn Academy.

Hutto was defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the Red Terrors the past two years.

His teams have made the playoffs in eight of the nine years he's worked as an assistant coach.

Hutto is already intrigued by the prospects of coaching rising junior Tommy Seals. He's been one of the top quarterbacks in the area for the past two seasons.

"We're going to run the Wing-T and put the ball in his hands and ask him to make plays," Hutto said. "We want Tommy to show everyone we play just what kind of athlete he is."

Reach Jeff Sentell at (706) 823-3425 or jeff.sentell@augustachronicle.com.