THOMSON --- For the first time at Thomson, football coach Luther Welsh is having to cope with a losing season and the fact that his team has been eliminated from the playoffs.
The Bulldogs' 2-7 record has led some critics to call for Welsh to retire after he guides the team against Region 3-AAA champion Baldwin on Friday.
Welsh, 77, said this week he will make a decision about his future in December.
"I'm going to decide what I want to do over the Christmas holidays," Welsh said. "I'll have plenty of time to think about what I want to do then, and that's when I'll make my decision."
He plans to make his decision while on his farm near Bishopville, S.C.
Welsh, who came to Thomson in 1984, helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back Class AAA state championships in 1984 and 1985. His 2002 team won the Class AAAA state crown. No other football coach in the history of the school has won three state titles.
"We've had a lot of successful seasons during my two stints at Thomson," Welsh said. "I'm very proud of the success I've had at Thomson. I still have the energy to coach right now."
But when it comes to a decision on whether to continue coaching the Bulldogs, Welsh is noncommittal.
"Right now I'm just not ready to say," he said. "I really just don't know, yet."
Welsh said he has done his best to ignore critics this season.
"I don't even pay people like them any attention," Welsh said. "They may as well be looking at the sky. I don't worry about what outside people say. In fact, they're wasting their time, if they think they can get to me."
Welsh has coached high school football in Georgia and South Carolina for the past 53 years.
"Over the years, high school has been good to me," he said. "We just hit one of those years where the season hasn't been very good. But the players have done the best they could do."
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It's time for him to retire for GOOD. His hay and glory days are over, you can only win so much. If he stays another year, his mindset will probably be to WIN IT ALL and GO OUT WITH A BANG. He needs to retire now.
The decision really isn't his. If he thinks it is, maybe he do need to retire. Assistant Coach William could easily fill those old Converse All-Stars. HELLO! HELLO!
I don't think the blame for a losing season should be on the coach. Somebody has to lose, you can't always win. Some of the fault of a losing season would be the caliber of players and their abilities. It may also be the caliber of the players on the opposing teams that determine win or lose. While all coaches and players are born equal, some are more equal than others. This decision should be up to Coach Welsh, not those that think you can be a winner all the time!!
People in thomson evidently are having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that maybe this year the well ran dry. If you do not have the talent of Baldwin, Wahington County, Liberty County, Burke County etc. then wdhat is a coach to do. It's not the X's and O's but the Jimmys and Joes that win games.
You can take a mule to the Kentucky Derby with the best trainers and best jokey in the world and still come in last place!! Look at this group kids records in the lower grades and look at the coaches records. Make an educated decision when you want to trash our coaching staff. If you can't block you best not pass. And it goes on and on and on what the kids didn't or couldn't do, not what the coached didn't do!
L-man...you are so right fans are so quick to blame a coach and never take a real long look at the talent they putting on the field compared to the talent other teams put out....waco went through a 4-7 year in 2007 and everyone thought it was over for us now look at us 8-1 bout to be 9-1 going into the playoff
this coach has given much yet one losing season and you want to kid who has consistently given you the run you are so proud of . One team can not win all the time. Thomson hasn't been in this role for a while they forget you may change coaches many times before you get a good one. You may throw out a good coach and get a cheater.
I go to every game and keep up with the program and have for many years. IT is time for change at Thomson. The reason why Luther was so good was his ability to make adjustments throughout the game. He no longer is capable of doing that. There is talent on the field this year at Thomson. We are just not putting the best athlete in at certain positions. It is time. I just hope we do not promote a head coach from within or just hire someone as a reflex. We need a proven coach who can take the team back to where we used to be.
I'm a coach and I'm shocked in 2002-2005 Coach Welsh probably did'nt have to make an adjustment during the game. The talent level was high and nothing beats experience nothing. Whoever gets the job will benefit from the kids experience and they probably will do very well Burke, Baldwin, and Washington Co. are senior loaded and have been playing for 2 yrs. so give Coach Welsh a chance please. Be careful what you wish for Thomson fans he is the glue to your program. You guys have capable assistants and if they are saying I can do better to the community or the players and parents then they need coach somewhere else. If the parents are cornering assistant coach telling them things and they follow it up then they need to coach somewhere else. You guys have had success enough to know that the talent is young just like Laney and your going to take your lumps 5 seniors I think is on the team come on people we have 23 and still have some leadership and experience issues. If the coach was new and this would have happen and he didnt honor the fact that there young you guys would be just to run him out of town but not this man he's you Joe Pa and Bobby Bowden remember PSU 3 yrs ago look now.
01' 9-1 3rd round exit from playoffs
02' 10-0 State Champs
03' 9-1 Second round exitfrom playoffs
04' 9-1 First round exit from playoffs
05' 9-1 First round exit from playoffs
06' 9-1 First round exit from playoffs
07' 9-0-1 first round exit playoffs
08' 5-5 second round exit from playoffs
09' 2-8 ? Probably because Baldwin pretty good No playoffs
I think you guys are over cooking the grits look at major college football recruits from Thomson teams then and now and also look at the region you guys were in. Thomson played all the Augusta schools and none of them were AAAA at the time now you are playing against county schools and the region is tougher. IF YOU WERE in the region with us you guys probably be 6-4 easily!!!!!!! So dont kick Coach Welsh out of town just yet. The regions change next season see where you going and who you playing first before you throw coach from the train. I see tradition of winning there well 08 season and 09 season just is not what your use to but the talent is on the back end right now its coming watch it doesnt matter who the coach is just remember you guys use to be the only COUNTY school playing all the city schools.