Andy Morgan is the new football coach at McDowell.

MARION – Andy Morgan was out of football coaching for a year.

He is jumping back in, and in a big way.

McDowell announced Friday that Morgan has been awarded his first varsity head-coaching job in Western North Carolina.

Morgan, 40, is a 1993 Franklin graduate. Morgan began his football-coaching career at McDowell in 1998 and stayed there for five years.

“I was lucky enough for (McDowell) to be the start to my career and it’s an honor to take over a program that has so many great former coaches,” Morgan said.

“I think I can bring a good identity to it. No one is going to outwork us when it comes to the weight room or speed-development.”

Morgan replaces Carson Gowan, who stepped down last month after going 23-68 record in eight seasons. Gowan and Morgan were together as McDowell assistants before that.

Morgan moved over to Roberson in 2005 and was the Rams’ assistant head coach until 2014. He was both their defensive and offensive coordinator during that time.

Morgan also coached girls track for Roberson and that is arguably its greatest loss in this coaching change. He guided the Buncombe County school to NCHSAA 3-A championships at the 2007 and 2009 outdoor meets. Morgan’s final coaching responsibility for the Rams will be taking their girls team to Saturday’s NCHSAA 4-A indoor meet in Winston-Salem.

“Words could not express the appreciation that I have for the many coaches that have helped lead this program over the years,” Morgan said.

“Dave Culp, Andrew Devine, Artis Gilmore, Francine Hill, Mark Fisher, Steve Carpenter, Mike Houston and Jim Beatty, just to name a few. Also, thanks to the athletes, former and current, that have put in countless hours of hard work to make this a successful program.”

Morgan expects to be front and center as a coach for the McDowell track program, too, starting this spring.

Roberson Principal Amy Rhoney said that Morgan will be missed.

“On behalf of the Roberson administration, we want to thank coach Andy Morgan for his dedication and commitment to the Roberson track and football programs over the last twelve years,” Rhoney said.

“We are very proud of the accomplishments made during his tenure and we want to wish him the very best in this new coaching endeavor as head football coach at McDowell.”

McDowell is the fourth mountain football program to hire a new coach for the 2016 season along with Hayesville (Kenneth Dockery), Roberson (J.D. Dinwiddie) and Smoky Mountain (Chris Brookshire).

Asheville High and North Henderson have not yet filled their vacancies.

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