Covington Catholic has named its next head football coach, a familiar face to Northern Kentucky high school sports fans — a state champion as a high school coach and a national champion as a collegiate quarterback.
Eddie Eviston, most recently the offensive coordinator at Georgetown College, will take over the Colonels programs. Previous head coach Dave Wirth resigned in January after compiling a 49-27 record in six seasons.
“My family and I are extremely excited about this opportunity to be the next head coach at Covington Catholic High School,” Eviston said in a news release. “It is no secret that great things are happening there and we are looking forward to being a part of it.” He thanked the principal and the athletic director “for their commitment and belief in me to lead this tradition-rich football program.”
Eviston had been at Georgetown for two seasons and prior to that was the head football coach at Newport Central Catholic. “We cannot wait to get to work on this next chapter in our lives and continue the tradition of excellence that is Covington Catholic and CovCath football!”
Under his leadership, Georgetown averaged 506 all-purpose yards per game for the last two seasons and finished the 2014 season ranked 9th nationally in scoring offense. Eviston led the Thoroughbreds of New Cath from 2010 to 2013 where he won two state titles in 2010 and 2012. He was an assistant at New Cath before that.
Eviston was a standout student-athlete at Newport Central Catholic, earning 2nd team All-State honors in 1996 and winning the prestigious That’s My Boy award from the National Football Foundation in 1997.
As a player at Georgetown College, Eviston was a two year team captain, 3-time NAIA National Player of the Year, a 3-Time All-American, and was a member of the 2000 and 2001 national championship teams. He compiled a 41-1 record as a starting quarterback at Georgetown, and was also a National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award Finalist.
Eviston, his wife Selina, and their three children will relocate to Northern Kentucky in the coming months.
“Eddie is a very impressive young man who has achieved success at every level in football, as a player and as a coach. We are confident that his enthusiasm along with his leadership skills will inspire our student-athletes to reach their full potential both on and off the field,” said Cov Cath athletic director Mike Guidugli. “We are very pleased to have him join the CCH coaching staff, and look forward with excitement about the future of the CCH football program.”
Eviston will speak to the media on Tuesday afternoon and will then be introduced at halftime during the Colonels’ varisty basketball game that evening.
-Staff report
Photo: Eddie Eviston (via Twitter)
