Former Packer football coach Bob Griffith dies in Statesboro

Oct. 5—MOULTRIE — Bob Griffith, who was the first football coach after schools were consolidated and the Packers represented Colquitt County High School rather than Moultrie High, died Oct. 2, 2023, in Statesboro. He was 79.

Griffith, who replaced Virgil "Bud" Willis, coached the Packers from 1978-1980 and had a 14-16 record.

He then resigned and went to Effingham County 1981-1998.

He had coached five seasons at Appling County before coming to Moultrie. He finished his 30-year career back at Appling County from 1999-2002.

Griffith, who had an overall record of 213-111-1 with five region titles, was inducted into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association's Hall of Fame in 2011.

Griffith's 1987 Effingham County team reached the Class AAAA state championship game, where it was defeated by Morrow.

In 1999, his Appling County team advanced to the Class AA state semifinals.

He also served for three years as Georgia Tech's director of high school relations and last year Effingham County named its athletic facility Rebel Field at Bob Griffith Stadium in his honor.

Griffith was hired after Willis, who had coached the Packers since 1965 and had a 93-34-1 record, resigned after Moultrie High went 3-7 in 1977.

The Kentucky native and former Virginia Tech player installed the ground-oriented wishbone offense and the Packers opened with a 31-27 victory over Monroe.

Colquitt rolled up 324 yards of offense and halfback Tyrone Sands rushed 212 yards and scored on runs of 31, 24 and 46 yards.

But then the Packers struggled and needed a 10-7 victory over Central of Thomas County in their final game to finish 3-7.

Sands rushed for 108 yards in the game and the difference was a 31-yard field goal by Steve Austin.

Griffith's first staff at Colquitt County included Max Braun, Billy Quick, future Valdosta head coach Mike O'Brien, Darrell Willett, Buddy Sorrow, James Stancil and Jerry Croft.

The Packers lost their first two games the next season, but then won five of their last eight to finish 5-5 and avoid what would have been a fourth-straight losing season.

After scoring just 125 points the year before, the 1979 Packers scored 254 points and three times scored 40 or more.

Bernard Acree and Troy Brown combined to rush for 1,168 yards behind an offensive line that included center Ross Lawrence, guards DeWayne Griffin and Rocky Jones and tackles Greg Tillery and Olen Yarbrough.

Quarterback Greg Robinson threw for 1,107 yards. The team also included receiver Jamie Wisham and linebacker Kirby Stewart, both of whom went on to play at the University of Georgia.

The Packers improved again in 1980, going 6-4, including a 30-28 upset of No. 8 Tift County.

But on the morning after the season ended with a 9-7 loss at Central, Griffith announced his resignation.

"I did not make the decision overnight," Griffith said. "I feel good about the three years we were here. The program went from a loser to a winner. Our people are winners. I'm proud of all of them."

Bill McCall, who had built a successful program at Cocoa Beach, Fla., was named the Packers head coach and changed from the wishbone to a multiple offense.

The Packers went 3-7 and 2-8 in McCall's two seasons at the helm.

Born July 6, 1944, in Morgantown, Ky., Robert Lee Griffith Sr. graduated from Atherton (Ky.) High School.

He played collegiately for coach Jerry Claiborne at Virginia Tech, where he was a co-captain as a senior.

One of his Virginia Tech teammates was Milt Miller, who also had an outstanding coaching career in Georgia, winning state championships at Worth County and Lowndes.

Before beginning his high school coaching career, Griffith served in the U.S. Army, including one year in Vietnam.

After retiring from coaching, Griffith was hired by Georgia Tech as its director of high school relations, a position he held full-time for three years and part-time for several others.

A scholarship has been establish in his name at Georgia Tech and is endowed by several of his former players.

Griffith served as the president of the GACA and the Georgia Athletic Directors Association and served on the board of the Georgia High School Association.

He was the head coach in the Georgia-Florida All-Star game and was an assistant coach for the North-South All-Star game on two occasions.

Griffith is survived by his wife Stella and children Robert Griffith of Clyo, Katharine Brown of Statesboro and Bob Massee of Statesboro; six grandchildren; a great-grandson; and two step-grandchildren.

Services were held October 5, in the chapel of Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory.

Burial was in Bulloch Memorial Gardens.