Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 27, 1993 TAG: 9304270019
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Steve Wright, 36, has been hired as the new coach, replacing Kevan Harris, who resigned after seven years on the job at the Group A Mountain Empire District school.
Like Harris, Wright played for Blacksburg. Also like Harris, Wright didn't take long to mention the influence of one of his Blacksburg coaches, Bill Brown.
"Bill Brown was the type of coach who the players liked to play for," Wright said. "That's the kind of coach I want to be."
Wright comes to Auburn from Christiansburg High, where he was a head junior varsity coach and varsity assistant. His JV teams went 15-9-1 in three years and won the New River District title twice.
Wright knows full well there won't be many comparisons between Christiansburg and Auburn, one of the smallest football-playing schools in the state.
"Anytime you're in a small school, you're battling a numbers problem," he said. "One of my goals will be to generate some enthusiasm for football and get some more people interested in playing it. Also, you have to have a good feeder program. I will be working with the entire program."
Wright attended Emory & Henry, where he also played football.
"Mine and Kevan's philosophies will be a lot the same," he said. "I'd like to try to fit in the program as it has been. If there are things that need improvement, then we'll work on them."
Plenty of things need work given the fact the Eagles have gone 7-13 the past two years. The transition should be helped by veteran assistant coaches Dennis Green and Bob Sandy.
Wright is a guidance counselor, which he said may help him as a football coach.
"It'll give me an avenue to meet a lot of the kids," he said.
by CNB