Ernie Willingham pictured with Sports Editor Marla Jones

Submitted Article:

Ernie Willingham has rejoined the Collinsville High School coaching staff and will serve in multiple capacities during the 2021-2022 academic year. Coach Willingham will serve as the interim head football coach (pending DeKalb BOE approval) for the 2021 season. In addition to working with the football team, Coach Willingham will be the next head baseball coach at CHS.

“This late in the summer, finding a new football coach is a definite challenge. Our goal was to identify the best head coach possible for the moment we find ourselves in and we are very fortunate to have someone with experience like Coach Willingham in our community willing to serve,” stated Collinsville Principal Bradley Crawford.

“Looking long term at our baseball program, we sought someone with previous baseball coaching experience and a strong grasp of the game. We are excited about the student-athletes we have coming through the program and we feel like Coach Willingham is the right person to maximize the talent we have in our program,” added Crawford.

Coach Willingham previously led the Panther football program from 1998-2002 and again from 2013-2019. In his two stints at Collinsville, Willingham won 80 games with nine playoff appearances and compiled a career coaching record of 131-84