Published: 08:31 PM, Tue Jun 12, 2012
Former NFL player Brian Rimpf named head coach at Jack Britt
By Earl Vaughan
The Sandspur
Brian Rimpf, a former offensive lineman at East Carolina who played briefly for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, has been named head football coach at Jack Britt.
His hiring was confirmed by Principal Denise Garison, but is still subject to final approval by the Cumberland County Board of Education.
"We felt with his motivation and experience he would expand our tradition at Jack Britt and take us to the next level,'' Garison said.
Rimpf was actually hired in April as an assistant on Bailey's staff. He was scheduled to become the offensive line coach and replace Scott Barbour, who was being promoted to offensive coordinator.
Rimpf, a graduate of Raleigh's Leesville Road High, was a three-time All-Conference USA selection for East Carolina, and he was selected to play in the 2003 Senior Bowl. Rimpf graduated with degrees in finance and accounting, and he was selected by the Ravens in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also played in the Arena and United football leagues.
Rimpf operates a recruiting service called BigShowCombine.com designed to help football players in grades 8-11 improve their chances of being recruited by colleges.
He worked the last two years as an assistant coach at Harnett Central, his only experience coaching high school football. He has less coaching experience than any current member of the Britt staff, but doesn't see that as a liability.
"I've played for a long time for a lot of different coaches who have been very successful,'' he said. "I have contacted them to get their advice and way of doing things.''
He inherits a Britt team that has been projected by many to be the favorite to win this year's Mid-South Conference title.
"I would rather take over a program and maintain their success and become more successful than take over a team where if I won two games I'd be coach of the year,'' he said. "This is the type of job I wanted. I've always been an overachiever.''
Some Britt players had expressed concerns that if a coach outside the program was hired, he might try to make wholesale changes. Rimpf said that wouldn't be the case with him.
"I am from the outside but I'm not coming here to re-invent the wheel,'' he said. He said he plans to work using an old coaching motto: Keep the best and improve the rest.
Rimpf said he hopes to relocate to Fayetteville as quickly as possible to begin work on his summer program with the team.
"We'll have parent-team meetings and I'll introduce myself to everybody,'' he said. "We'll get rolling quickly. "I'm ready to hit the ground running.''
Scholastic sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. can be reached at vaughane@fayobserver.com or 486-3519.