Pulaski County High School has its new head football coach, and the link to the past, a great winning tradition, remains alive. Todd Jones, ol' number 16 is coming home.

He will bring a lot with him. First of all his wife Meredith and two young girls, Payton and Kylie. He will also bring a winning tradition with him that he established during his highly successful tenure at Essex High.

Essex is a Group A, Division 2 school located in Tappahannock, a member of the Northern Neck District. Jones' teams posted an overall stunning record of 135-34 as the Trojans played in the state championship game three times, won it once, won five region crowns, and nine district titles during his 13 years as head coach.

His state championship came last season when Jones' Trojans shutout Radford 30-0 for the 2009 Division 2 title at Salem Stadium to cap a perfect 14-0 season.

Meredith, who was also a highly successful softball coach at Essex, will teach math at Pulaski County.

Todd is a 1994 graduate of Emory & Henry. He was a member of the 1990 graduating class at PCHS, and the Cougars posted a perfect 10-0 regular season record his senior season (1989).

His old coach, Joel Hicks, was happy to learn that one of his former players was coming back home to coach his Cougars.

"Todd will do a fine job. I remember him well, and I saw his Essex team play in the title game last season at Salem. I was very impressed. Todd was a very disciplined player, one willing to do whatever the team needed, he just wanted to find a way to get on the field. He's learned the game well, and the most important thing is he has learned how to teach the game. He'll be a good leader, and a good motivator. Todd is a winner. Pulaski County's football program will be in good hands under his leadership,'' said Hicks.

Hicks has talked with Jones, and will be available to his former player, and looks forward to spending time with him. "Sure, anytime Todd wants to talk with me, watch a little film, put some X's and O's on the board, or discuss anything, I'll be there for him, but he'll be fine. Todd has gotten older and wiser. I've just gotten older. He's probably smarter than I am,'' laughed Hicks.

Jones was the top receiver for the Cougars his senior season, although Hicks' teams were certainly not known for putting air under the pigskin. So Jones' nine catches was pretty good. His best route was a quick slant across the middle, or a post cut deeper down the middle. He was not afraid to catch the ball in traffic, and some of those nine catches were big, going for a total of 221 yards, a whopping 24.6 yard per catch average.

And he hasn't forgotten anything over the years either. "It's great to come home. I made the final decision after I watched the kids workout last Monday. I was so impressed. A lot of things have gone wrong lately, but they didn't hang their heads, they were working hard, just like the Cougars always have. So that was big, but so were the memories, the environment, the atmosphere, and much more. A lot of things were important as far as making the decision, and certainly one of the big reasons is coming home. To be honest, I've always dreamed of coming home one day to coach the Cougars. That thought has always been in the back of my mind. To lead Pulaski County into battle, to be part of the Cougar family, the tradition, and to come home to be with my own family, all those are big things with me,'' said Jones from his home in Tappahannock Friday evening.

It was sure big with Peggy Dalton, his mom. Todd lost his stepfather and she lost her husband, Roger Lee Dalton, in late May.

"I'm so very happy,'' said his mom Peggy Friday morning. “The whole family has dreamed that maybe this would happen one day. I wish Roger was still here. He would be so proud. Things were just so up in the air for a few days. I was very anxious. I couldn't think about anything else, but then everything just seemed to fall into place. I can't express how happy I am, and how thrilled I am to be around those grandchildren,'' she said.

Jones will be on the job as quickly as possible, but the logistics are a little complicated. "I want and need to get to Pulaski County ASAP, and I'll be there as quickly as possible this coming week, but I'll have to come back to Essex probably a couple of times too. These people have been great to me. Pulaski County was probably the only place that would get me to leave here. I was also the athletic director at Essex, and I must leave the house in good order. Because I'm leaving they have lost a head coach and the AD, and now they are pressed for time, so I must take care of them as best I can. It's the right thing.''

There are obviously some holes left in the Cougar coaching staff. Jones is certainly aware of that. "I know some of the coaches in that locker room. I know where they come from and what they're about, so I feel good about that, but there are questions. I need to talk with each of them privately, and I'll do that as soon as possible. I want to talk with them about where we're going, and how I think we can get there. I want to know what their vision is of the future, and I want them to know what mine is, but I think and hope we'll be okay,'' said Jones.

Time is short, and there's much to do. There's not enough hours in the day. Jones says he will watch a lot of film. "I need to look at the team. I need to make some assessments. I'll be watching a ton of film. We've got to hit the ground running. I want to look at the personnel. But I don't care what the obstacles are, nothing is going to slow us down.''

Even though Jones has a long way to go, and a short time to get there, he will make as many changes as he can to both the offensive and defensive schemes at Pulaski County.

"I want to attack on both offense and defense. That's what I believe in. Turn the players loose and give them a chance to make plays. On offense, I like to attack the field, and stretch the field both vertically and horizontally. I believe you force the other team to account for all 11 of your players. I don't like to huddle either. The pace will quicken. Pulaski County is going to run more plays. The play clock won't much matter anymore. We will spread things out, but that doesn't mean we're going to throw the bomb every other down or anything like that. Personnel will still make most of the decisions. On defense, I look at it the same way as on offense. I don't like waiting on the opponent's offense. I like to attack the opponent, and make plays.''

Jones isn't going to waste a lot of time worrying about the obvious problems facing the 2010 Pulaski County football team. Everybody knows about the sanctions, the reduced practice time, the loss of a scrimmage, the fine, and the playoff ban. Does he have enough time?

"I'm not going to spend any time on that stuff. You can't look at it like we don't have enough time to do the things we want to do. You must look at it like we've got this much work to do, and this much time to get it done, so let's get to it. I will push, I must push, but I believe in the character, attitude, and tradition of the Cougar football player. From what I saw in that locker room last week, I do not doubt that Pulaski County's young men will get the work done. I haven't had the opportunity to speak to the team yet, but I'm looking forward to it. We'll get to know each other quickly. I hope they are as excited about getting to know me as I am about getting to know them. We will work, just like Pulaski County always has. In football, times can get a little tough, but we will stick together, we will be a family, and we will get to where we want to go,'' says Jones.

You could feel Jones' excitement and intensity when this writer asked him what would he say if he could stand in front of the faithful that have supported Cougar football for so long?

"I would tell them we can and we will. I believe that, totally believe that. I'm excited....excited about coming home, coming back to Cougar football, to see all the great fans and so many, many things. Pulaski County will win....we will win.''

And on Friday evening, August 27th at just about 7:25 pm, Todd Jones will stand at the top of the steps he last walked down in 1989....almost 21 years ago.  What's that going to be like?

"Oh Lord,'' said Jones. "I've already thought about that. I've thought about that many, many times, hoping to get to do it again in my life. I will think about so many things at that moment. It will be very emotional for me. In many ways, it's kind of like realizing my dream. But I'll try to keep all those things inside. I can't let it get the best of me. I have a job to do, and I will try hard to be focused, but it will be a special.....special moment in my life.''

Pulaski County has won 16 district titles in football since 1979; the Cougars have won seven region championships, and in 1992 won the Group AAA, Division 6 state championship. That's a lot of history, a lot of good things. Don't be surprised if there are a lot more of those good things in the future for Cougar football.

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