Why Greene?

Darius Robinson took a chance on himself last fall when he only signed a six-month lease in Valdosta.

At the time, Robinson served as an assistant coach under Shelton Felton at Valdosta High School, one of the state’s most prestigious football programs. He was uncertain whether he would secure a head coaching position or return to the Wildcats as an assistant in 2025. However, Robinson’s gamble of signing a short-term lease paid off.

In February, Robinson was hired as the next head football coach at Greene County High School after interviewing for the position. He then moved to Greensboro and just completed his first spring with the Tigers.

But why did Robinson apply for the job at Greene County? He joked that he gets that question a lot.

“That’s what everybody constantly asked when I first got the job here. And I say it simply that God led me here, that’s for sure,” Robinson said. “Just briefly reflecting on my past, I became a head football coach in North Carolina at 28 years old and won back-to-back region championships before deciding to move to Georgia. I wanted to be in a state where football was king. 

"So, I went down to Valdosta, Georgia. And in South Georgia, football is not just king, it’s the law. It’s what you live and die by. Getting that small-town, South Georgia feel over the past two years was great. I spent two seasons in Valdosta. Then, as I applied for the job here, I got the same feel here, but being closer to a metro area also brought me much closer to home.”

Robinson also took the job because he wanted to be closer to family. He is from Lancaster, South Carolina, which is about a three-hour drive from Greensboro. He still has family there, as well as in Greenville and Clinton.

“[The job] also got much closer to home,” the new Greene County head coach added. “It just checked off every single box.”

Robinson recognized that he was about to face a significant transition, as he had never coached at a school this small before. He understood there would be some adjustments and growing pains, especially coming from a Class 6A program like Valdosta.

The Wildcats have far better resources and facilities than the Tigers.

However, Robinson accepted the challenge and is determined to keep the program rolling. He has witnessed support not only from the administration but also from the parents and players.

“This is by far the smallest school I have ever worked at. But then, when I looked at it and kept thinking about it, only 11 people can go out on the field at the same time,” he shared. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve got 150 people on your team or if you’ve got 50 people on your team. There’s great alignment between me and the administration. We all share the same vision for the progression and trajectory of this football program.”

Robinson aims to build on the winning culture established by former head coach Terrance Banks.

“It was a no-brainer,” he said. “Every day, as I meet more people throughout the school and community, it just validates my decision on coming here. It’s been a whirlwind, it’s been fun, but the job is just getting started.”