By Kelsey Prose With multiple coaching positions open at Collinsville High School and time dwindling to fill them, Collinsville High School announced via social media that former head football coach Ernie Willingham will rejoin the school’s football program as its interim head coach. Pending Board of Education approval, Willingham will serve at multiple positions for the Panthers during the 2021-2022 school year. Willingham looks to take over the head coach position for the baseball program as well as the interim football position. “This late in the summer, finding a new football coach is a definite challenge. Our goal was to identify the best head coach possible for the moment we find ourselves in and we are very fortunate to have someone with experience like Coach Willingham in our community willing to serve,” said Collinsville Principal Bradley Crawford in its statement from the school’s Facebook account. Willingham served two stints with Collinsville from 1998-2002 and then again from 2013-2019. During his tenure, Willingham won 80 games with nine playoff appearances and has a coaching record of 131-84. During the 2019 season, the Panthers made it to the AHSAA Class 2A State Semifinal Round, where the Panthers fell to the eventual-State Champions – Fyffe High School.
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