Louisville High School didn't have to look far to find a successor to legendary M.C. Miller as it's new head football coach. In fact, the Wildcats landed someone who had filled those shoes before.
After two decades as a football coach at Noxubee County – the last nine as head coach – Tyrone Shorter will move 30 miles west as head coach at Louisville High School. He was hired to replace Miller, who retired after leading the Wildcats to the MHSAA Class 4A state championship.
“It’s a good opportunity for me coming from one great program to another great program,” Shorter said. “The Louisville school district has always been a great school district and the football program has been one of the top programs in the state.”
Shorter enjoyed great success at Noxubee County, compiling an 89-28 record with 4A championships in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017. The Tigers won at least nine games every year until the 2018 season when injuries contributed to a 7-6 record. Shorter took over as the head coach at Noxubee after Miller left the Tigers to become head coach at LHS.
This year Noxubee's season ended with a second round playoff loss to Greenwood, the team Louisville beat in the North State final.
Shorter said it was a tough decision to leave Noxubee County, but he feels he leaves the program in great shape. “It’s difficult because of the relationships I have built here. Being some place for 20 year, you build relationships and get to know many people. The kids here are good kids so it was difficult to leave. But I felt it was time for me to move on in my career.”
Shorter is a Mississippi native who played football and basketball and ran track at Port Gibson High School. He played football at Hinds Community College and Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. After playing pro ball with the NFL San Diego Chargers and the Canadian Football League Edmonton Eskimos, he returned to Mississippi in 1998 as an assistant coach at Noxubee County.
“After two years there, they promoted me to defensive coordinator.” Nine years later, he became head coach when Miller left for Louisville.
Louisville has won nine state championships, trailing only South Panola with 11 and West Point with 10 among MHSAA schools. The last two titles came with Miller as coach, in 2013 and last fall when the 'Cats defeated Poplarville in the title game.
“He left the program in great shape,” Shorter said.
Louisville and Noxubee County have been rivals in Region 4-4A, but Shorter will not have to worry about competing with his former school for a state championship next fall. Louisville will still be in 4-4A, but Noxubee County will drop down to 4-3A.
Shorter, who will also serve as Louisville athletic director, met with Louisville players for the first time last week. “I had a chance to watch them in the weight room and playing basketball. I’m excited about coaching them and I can’t wait to get started.”
He does not know the assistant coaches that will be on his staff. “At this time, I am evaluating everything.”
Shorter has one goal. “The expectation is to win a state championship next year. That’s what we are going to work for. That’s what we are going to strive for.”
It won't take long for Shorter to get a taste of the Louisville-Noxubee rivalry from the LHS sideline as the Wildcats open up the 2019 season with a road trip to Macon to take on the Tigers on Aug. 23.
