CLIMAX – Cody Moran is the new football at Providence Grove, giving the school’s athletics director an additional role but one that he covets.
“That’s what I got into coaching for was to be a head coach,” he said.
Moran will be the fourth coach in four years for the Patriots. They’re coming off a 3-7 season, which was the program’s first losing record since 2017.
Moran has been on the coaching staff since 2019, handling various duties. Most recently, he was the defensive coordinator.
Now the 2013 Randleman graduate is in charge of the program.
“I’m real big on when there’s a door open, follow God’s plan,” he said. “He opened that door to be at Providence Grove.”
Moran, 30, said he was encouraged by this week’s reaction from players, who greeted the coaching announcement with hugs and high-5s. He said he also has received correspondence from football coaches from several schools in the area.
“The kids were super receptive,” Moran said.
Mark Heilig filled in as interim coach during the 2024 season after the August departure of David Hayes. It’s uncertain if Heilig, who’s also the boys’ golf coach, will remain with the football program.
Moran spent two years on the coaching staff at Randleman Middle School and then a year as an assistant coach with the high school before moving to Providence Grove.
He said he opted to stay at Providence Grove following the 2022 season when coach Calvin Brown left for Asheboro.
There’s plenty of Randleman ties at Providence Grove, where Dennis Hamilton is principal after holding the same position at Randleman. And there will be more because Shane Timmons, who had been Randleman’s football coach until recently resigning, began a new job as intervention coordinator this week at Providence Grove.
“He’s like a piece of gold for me right now,” Moran said.
While he won’t be on the football staff, Moran said Timmons, who was an assistant coach when Moran was a Randleman offensive lineman, will assist with the Patriots’ strength and conditioning program during school days.
Moran said he’ll continue as athletics director, but those responsibilities will be shared during the fall with a yet-to-be announced school employee handling certain duties during the football season.
Moran handed out bracelets with the motto “RISE Up” to players and faculty. That stands for “Respect, Integrity, Strength, Excellence.”
Moran’s coaching staff is likely to have a youthful core that he said he’s hoping can grow together with the program.
“We’re going to try to have championship football,” Moran said. “We’re going to get to work. We all have a ton to learn.”
