Longtime Decatur football coach Knox returning to the gridiron

The Stephen Decatur football team will have a familiar face return to the sidelines when the season begins Sept. 8 against Wi-Hi.

Longtime head coach Bob Knox will once again man the ship for the Seahawks after taking a year off for family health reasons. Knox had been the head guy at Decatur since 1984 prior to his leave of absence.

“When I was away, I didn’t miss the practices, but I missed Friday nights,” Knox said. “I kept in touch, I watched film, but I never gave advice to the coaches, because if you’re not there, you don’t really know what’s going on.”

His grandson was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer prior to the start of the 2016 season. Once the news broke, community members throughout Berlin community and the entire Eastern Shore reached out, offering to do anything they could to lend a helping hand.

“I’d just like to thank our community — the people, the businesses, the students, the players … everyone was very supportive, and I’m very grateful for all that they did,” Knox said.

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His return to the field was sparked with the good news from his grandson’s MRI report that took place in June. Knox described it as the first step in a long process, but was glad things had started in the right direction.

Knox’s absence was felt immediately, as the Seahawks were defeated week after week by other Bayside football teams. Riding a nine-game losing streak, Decatur got its one and only win of 2016 in the final game of the season against Snow Hill. The Seahawks won 43-6 to end their season on a high note.

While Knox attended to his family, Decatur defensive coordinator Stan Griffin was called upon to keep the Seahawks as a competitive unit in the Bayside South.

Despite the poor record, the blame wasn’t all on Griffin. Injuries and graduation kept many of Decatur’s 2015 stars away from the football field, ultimately leading to the team’s 1-9 season.

But with Knox back at the helm, Decatur Principal Tom Zimmer is confident the Seahawks have the potential to get back to their winning ways.

“Every year we expect to be competitive. Some years are going to be better than other years, and our coaches last year did a great job given the circumstance,” Zimmer said. “Bob brings continued stability, a proven track record and respect for the other teams — he knows his X’s and O’s.”

Knox has seen more success than any other coach in the Bayside Conference in his 30-plus seasons at Decatur. He is the 12th all-time winningest coach in Maryland high school football, with 10 playoff appearances and four region titles. He has an overall record of 228-135.

Though Knox has taken a year off from football, he doesn’t expect to miss a beat when the first whistle is blown in the team’s training camp.

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He's confident the talent from the incoming class paired with the skills and experience of his returning players will give the Seahawks the unit they need to be a competitive force in the Bayside Conference.

“I’m going to continue the way I’ve always done things here. I was here one day and the next I was gone, and I think some of the kids were shocked, but our coaching staff did a great job filling in and making the most of the situation,” Knox said.

A handful of returning players will be key pieces in determining whether Decatur can turn it around. They will need a strong season after averaging just 15.2 points per game and allowing 33.8 per contest.

“No other team practices harder, and we make sure we put kids out there that represent their school and community well,” Zimmer said.

For Knox, the most important battle is taking place away from the football field, but he is still happy to return to the sidelines he has called home the past three decades.

And there's no doubt Decatur's students and faculty, as well as the entire Berlin community, are even more excited to see their favorite football coach leading the charge once Friday nights in the Fall roll around.

“He’s a legend, and the coaches and teams around the Bayside rallied around him and showed their support the whole season,” Zimmer said. “It’s great to have coach Knox back!”