After a surprisingly good season where the unexpected CHS football team came back after a horrendous 1-9 season and went 6-4, it is left without a coach.

Varsity football head coach Joe Allen resigned from his coaching duties Jan.7, after six seasons with the Bulldogs, going 36-27.

“Coach Allen’s resigning was surprising but he had his reasons,” junior quarterback Colin Smyth said. “I think Coach Allen has brought success to this program.”

According to multiple sources, Allen’s resignation involved his son losing his appeal to play at CHS. Allen wished to coach his son, but when the county denied the transfer from Sherwood to CHS, Allen then lost his interest in coaching at CHS and decided to resign.

Although Allen’s resignation was shocking to the program, the team and program continue to have a positive mindset and think everything will work out before next season approaches.

“I think we will do fine with [Allen] being gone,” Smyth said. “He taught us well and we will continue to be taught well by our coaches next year.”

Senior Greg Dourian has been coached by Allen throughout his high school football career and agrees with Smyth. Dourian thinks Allen’s resignation was justified, seeing as personal issues come before coaching.

“I knew it was a good move for Allen to leave when he told us his reason for leaving,” Dourian said. “Anything personal to you comes first before anything else.”

CHS athletic director Scott Rivinius says a frontrunner for the coaching job hasn’t been named yet, but players are optimistic that Defensive Coordinator Willie Williams will be named coach, as Allen originally offered the job to Williams.

Rivinius praises Allen for his job here at CHS, for his improvement of the football team and development of the student athletes.

“I thought Coach Allen, his staff and the team did a great job this season rebounding from the 2013 season,” Rivinius said. “[Allen] put the program in a great position moving forward for the next head coach and team.”