
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 12, 1990                   TAG: 9004120174
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FORMER PH COACH VAUGHT HIRED AT TAZEWELL

Former Patrick Henry football coach Dennis Vaught is back in coaching after being hired as an assistant at Tazewell, and Greenbrier East (W.Va.) head football coach Homer Criddle has emerged as the leading candidate to fill a vacancy at Alleghany High School.

Criddle appears to be the top candidate to replace Kenny Higgins, who left for a job at Brookville. At least two coaching sources, who asked not to be identified, recently said Criddle has the inside track to the position.

Criddle was called back for an interview at Alleghany this week and might have been helped in his effort to get the job when Virginia High coach Paul Wheeler, another leading candidate, took a similar job at Rustburg.

Vaught, who resigned his job at Patrick Henry last October after making racist remarks during a halftime speech of the Homer Ferguson game, begins his new job on Tuesday.

Tazewell County school superintendent Frank Cosby said he was fully aware of what happened to Vaught at Patrick Henry. "I'm satisfied it's a one-time thing. If he was working for me at that time, he'd still be coaching," said Cosby, who was formerly superintendent of schools in Salem.

"I don't think it was a black-white thing," Cosby said. "I've been in this business too long and no one can be picture perfect. I make mistakes every day. Fortunately, I can overcome them.

"Mr. Vaught is truly an outstanding young man. He's 33 years old and has a good future. I hope he stays with us a few years."

Vaught remains silent about the incident last fall at Patrick Henry. "I'm just glad this is all over. This job has been in the works for a while," Vaught said.

Vaught was head coach at Lexington for two years before coming to Patrick Henry last year. His Patriots team was 5-2 at the time of his resignation. His 1988 Lexington team won the Group A Division 2 championship by upsetting Lunenburg Central to end a 39-game winning streak. Vaught was Timesland football coach of the year that fall.

Vaught will work with the in-school suspension and alternative education programs. He also will coach a spring sport, although Cosby said it was not decided exactly those duties would entail.

Brian Stinespring, who came as an assistant with Vaught from Lexington but remained at Patrick Henry after last fall's incident, also is getting a new job. He will join the Virginia Tech staff as a graduate assistant next year. He also had looked into the head coaching vacancy at Alleghany.

by CNB