John Reid has had success turning around programs during his career as a head football coach.

Having missed the state football playoffs the past three seasons, the Tift County High Blue Devils football team was wanting to return to postseason play.

In hopes of making a return to the postseason, the Tift County School Board voted unanimously to hire Reid as the Devils’ new head coach Tuesday night.

Reid has been at Class AAAA East Paulding High the past six seasons, posting a 60-15 overall mark for the Raiders. During that span, the Raiders have been to one Final Four, three quarterfinals and one Sweet 16. They have finished with five top-10 rankings, including four times in the top eight in the state.

East Paulding’s success came after the school had won just 29 games from 1992-2006. That included a 10-20 mark under former Brooks County Head Coach Tim Glanton, who was at the school from 2003-05.

A notable name in Georgia high school football, Jess Simpson of Buford, was 0-10 at East Paulding in 1997.

In 2005, Glanton went 3-7 at East Paulding, Reid went 12-2 the next season.

Tift County School Superintendent Patrick Atwater released Reid’s cover letter to the press Tuesday night. In that Reid quickly states what he feels is his strong suit, “I am a confident and demanding coach, and I will not accept anything but the best from my players and coaches. I will put on my work boots, roll up my shirtsleeves and work until the state championship is won.”

Reid continued, “I will turn Tift County into a winner at all levels, grades 6-12. We will compete for and win the state championship. That is my goal and always will be. John F. Kennedy said it best himself, ‘Never go for second place, when first place is available.’”

Reid has state championship experience as he took Alcoa (Tenn.) High to two state titles in three years. During that stretch the school had four players sign with Southeastern Conference schools, including Kentucky’s Randall Cobb, who is now a Green Bay Packer.

Even though he did not mention it in his cover letter, Reid also won a state title during his coaching career in Indiana, according to Kevin Dobard, the Tift County School Board Human Resources Director.

Reid runs a West Coast offense, “we are going to be balanced and use the talent we have. We are going to throw the ball to the receivers, tight ends and backs. We utilize screens, draws and the run-action passing game. We will run the football, and we will be multiple in personnel groupings.”

This past season, Warner Robins and Southwest DeKalb were the only two teams to hold the East Paulding Raiders to under 23 points. The Raiders defeated Southwest 10-6 in the first round of the state playoffs, and were defeated 20-10 by Warner Robins in the state quarterfinals.

East Paulding put up over 34 points in seven games during the schools 11-2 2011 campaign. That number includes scoring 63 points in two separate games.

“I believe that defense is the mark of a great program and a great coach. We have allowed just over 11 points per game at East Paulding,” Reid said about the other side of the ball.

As far as special teams, Reid said, “We have developed outstanding special team players in our practices. We put the best players on special teams, practice them daily and utilize them to change the game.”

Practice time is important to Reid.

“As a coach, I am hands-on and involved. All of the offensive, defensive and special team schemes  have been implemented and taught to our staff. We practice as well or better than any team in the state,” Reid stated in his cover letter.

To prove his point, Reid said his current on-field duties are: offensive coordinator, quarterback coach, linebacker coach and handling all aspects of the kicking game.

Reid and his wife, Julie, have been married for 24 years. They have three college-aged kids, Colton, a senior football player at the Air Force Academy; Kiersten, a junior basketball player at Columbus State University; and Courtney, who is at Georgia Southern on an academic scholarship.

Reid will be at the Tift County Board of Education office at 5 p.m. today (Wednesday) for a meet and greet.

According to Dobard, 33 people applied for the position, including some from as far away as Michigan and Colorado. He said the school board conducted seven interviews.