Laurel alum Kevin Niblett named new varsity football head coach

After over 20 years coaching at the Pop Warner, middle school, and JV/varsity levels, Laurel graduate Kevin Niblett planned to keep coaching but serving as the varsity head coach wasn’t something he expected. Following the resignation of head coach Joey Jones in the off-season, Niblett was recently hired to succeed Jones.

“It wasn’t in my plans but sometimes God’s got other plans,” said Niblett. “Joey Jones did a great job and brought Laurel back to the forefront, won some state championships, and brought the standard back up to what it used to be.”

“I believe in what Dr. Larrimore has done in the district. I believe in what Joey (Jones) did. I want to give the town and district something to be proud of,” he added. “I’m a Bulldog through and through.”

Niblett has served on the JV/varsity football staff for the past three seasons and has coached many of Laurel’s players at various levels. Niblett said these players have won at all levels.

One of his goals is to get the program’s numbers up. The Bulldogs had over 40 JV and varsity players last year. Niblett is talking to kids and looking to get students who played at the middle school level to come out for the high school team.

“We’re going to go one week at a time and hope to improve every week,” said Niblett. “We’re going to give them the answers to the rest, they just have to finish it.”

Niblett said he believes in the players, calling them hard workers who are buying into being one team. He also said the team will have a lot of players back at key positions.

“No positions are guaranteed and everybody’s working hard to get on the field,” Niblett said, adding that part of coaching is understanding what the kids from Laurel need. “Sometimes you have to be more than a coach. Sometimes you have to be a father figure, a friend figure.”

Niblett believes that the season is won in May, June, July and August with drills and preparation. He is opening the gym three to four times a week for work outs and is working out with the players.

Niblett’s coaching staff will include Dave Shockley and Greg Smith, who are back from last year’s staff, as well as former head coach Mike Pugh, former player Kaden Shockley, and other guys Niblett has coached with at different levels. “They all have the same heart for the kids,” said Niblett.

Niblett’s mentors include coaches he played for and coached with such as: Jake Morgan, Mike Norton, Joey Deiter, Brian Hearn, and Jones.

Niblett said the team is looking to have a more balanced offense this year. The coaches and players have been meeting with spring camp starting in June.

“They (players) don’t want to fall short. They want to continue the tradition of Laurel being very competitive even though we are a small school,” he said. “If they do what we ask them to do, it can be a very successful season.”

Coach Niblett and his wife, Tiesha, live in Laurel and have three children: Elya, Elijah, and Micah.