There is a multitude of new personnel at Enterprise, especiallyin the athletic department. Mac Bezet is the new head head coach atEnterprise. He replaces Scott Leggett who will continue teaching atthe school. Leggett was head coach for one season and the YellowJackets finished 2-9 in a major rebuilding campaign.

Another familiar face, Lincoln County native Roe Burns, isreturning to the coaching ranks after a 3-year absence. He willserve as Enterprise athletic director and offensive coordinator forthe football team.

Shannon Eubanks, new principal at Enterprise, revealed otherchanges within the athletic department. Two more assistant coaches,Chris Smith and Keith Cline will work with the football team.Cline, a newcomer, also will assist Smith with the baseballteam.

In other sports, Eubanks said Ricky Gray will continue to coachthe boys basketball program. Jill Nations will coach the girls,high school and junior high teams. Nations replaces Billy Vaughnwho has moved to Loyd Star where he will serve as athletic directorand junior high basketball coach.

Also, Eubanks said Steve Sasser will continue coaching theslowpitch and fastpitch girls softball teams. Chad Coon will assistwith the team. Coon is a para professional.

“We had an opportunity to get both men (Bezet and Burns),” saidEubanks. “Bezet is in charge of defense and Burns is in charge ofoffense.

“You are looking at over 50 years of coaching experience,”Eubanks pointed out. “We have two good Christian men who are goingto be leading the program. They have already met with the boosterclub.”

He is confident Bezet and Burns will turn the football programin a positive direction. “They bring so much enthusiasm to theprogram. In time they will do some great things at Enterprise.”

Eubanks said he was anticipating a banner year for athletics atthe Class 1A school. “We are excited about the future of Enterprisesports.”

Burns said he was happy to be coaching again. “I am lookingforward to working with Coach Bezet.”

Burns, 57, is a 1965 graduate of Enterprise. He scored the firsttouchdown in Yellow Jacket history. It was 1964, the first year forthe school to have a football team.

Burns has been out of coaching for three years. He served aninterim elementary school principal at Loyd Star this past schoolterm. A graduate of Southern Miss, Burns coached at Loyd Star 20years and produced several outstanding state playoff teams.

Neither Burns nor Bezet are teaching this fall. They arestrictly coaching, not drawing a teaching salary. Burns also willdrive a school bus.

In his first job, Burns coached at Enterprise in 1969. Then hemoved to Pascagoula and coached there eight years. He coached oneseason at West Lincoln, coming out of retirement to lead the Bearsin 2001.

Burns is married to the former Kay Wallace, also an Enterprisegraduate and they are members of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. Theyhave three children, Brooks, Brodie and Kami. Brooks coachesfootball and soccer at Northeast Jones. Brodie is a graduateassistant at Ole Miss.

Kami is married to Brad Bumgarner and she teaches English atClinton Junior High.

Bezet coached in Louisiana and Arkansas during his long career.He most recently coached at Central High School in Baton Rouge, aClass 5A high school with 1,500 students.

He retired from coaching and teaching in 2000.

“The last time I coached was in 1988,” said Bezet. “I’ve been inadministration and the athletic department. As long as they haven’tchanged the shape of the football and they still run north andsouth, I’ll be okay.”

A 1962 Baker (La.) High graduate, Bezet went to college atNortheast Louisiana and obtained a bachelor’s degree. He secured amaster’s degree in health and physical education at Arkansas Techin Russellville and a master’s in administration at Nicholls State,La.

Bezet, 60, and his wife, Wilda, have two children, a daughterand son who both live in Louisiana. They attend Mt. PleasantBaptist Church in Bogue Chitto. Their daughter is a nurse and theirson is an FBI agent.

Asked about a football philosophy, Bezet said, “The kids aregoing to dictate what we can do on offense and defense. I’ll runthe defense, a multiple front. Coach Burns will take care of theoffense.”

Bezet said he was encouraged by the community response and theattitude displayed by the players during this week’s offseasonweight training program. “The kids are enthusiastic and they workwell. They seem willing to work hard.”

Cline, 27, and his wife, Brandy, have a son, John TaylorWallace, who turns six on June 3.

Cline is a graduate of Simpson County Academy and MississippiState University where he obtained a degree in teaching-coachingadministration. He moves from Brandon where he coached baseball andfootball.

‘I’m anxious to get started,” said Cline. “We’re headed in theright direction.”

According to Coach Bezet, Cline will help with the receivers andbacks. Smith will work with the line.