Canton football coach resigns after four seasons at the Mid-Illini Conference school
Nick Wright has resigned as the Canton football coach.
The 2006 Canton graduate met with his players and assistant coaches Wednesday night, announcing that he would not be returning as the head coach in 2024. He was hired in March 2020 and spent four seasons with the Mid-Illini Conference program.
Wright went 6-21 overall in three full seasons with those half-dozen victories against conference foes. Canton was 1-2 in the 2021 pandemic-shortened spring season, beating Morton, 26-13 for his first career victory.
"When it comes down to it," Wright said, "I wasn't pressured into (resigning). I wasn't forced out. I wasn't asked, 'Either you're going to resign or be fired.' The administration totally had my back in whatever decision I made.
"... I still love coaching. I still love football. I still love Canton football."
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After previously teaching in the Canton school district, Wright now works for Country Financial in Canton. He and his wife, Sydnee, are expecting their first child in April. Those factors played a part in Wright's choice to step away from the game that's been in his life for the last 24 years.
"It just felt like it was time," he said. "It wasn't fair to my business. It wasn't fair to my family. It wasn't fair to those kids for me to be pulled in all those different directions.
"It was just getting too much for me. ... It was a tough decision, because of the love I have and how long I've spent, either playing for coaching."
Wright coached at Havana before his time at Canton. He said he expects to coach again, maybe in youth sports or as an assistant, but said it has been a long time since he's had a fall season without football.
"I think I need to take a little bit of time and enjoy the first years of my son," he said.
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During the 2021 campaign, the Little Giants were 3-6 including a 35-30 victory over Metamora in Week 9. A two-win 2022 season saw Canton shut East Peoria and beat Limestone.
Canton ended 2023 with a 14-7 regular-season finale win over Limestone to finish 1-8. His dad and former Canton head coach, Chuck Wright, and brother, Matt Wright, will also not be returning.
"Leaving this year on a win," Wright said, "and not going 0-9 is definitely something that'll boost them into next season."
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Canton, Illinois, football coach resigns after four seasons
