By By Richard Dark/The Meridian Star
Jan. 17, 2001
The public speculation as to where Meridian High's former football coach and current Athletic Director Mac Barnes is going will come to an end when Lamar School holds a press conference today, reportedly to take place at 4 p.m.
The Raider family is expected to introduce Barnes as its new principal and head football coach. Barnes, who retired last week from the Meridian Public School system after 28 years of service, did not deny when questioned by media that the move to the MPSA was forthcoming.
Although it had been reported by broadcast media as early as last Monday that Barnes was headed to Lamar, the MHS AD respectfully declined to go on record Tuesday about the jobs, calling any reports "premature speculation" and instead stating he would officially finalize things at the Mississippi Private School institution today.
Barnes, who won Class 5A football titles at Meridian in 1985 and 1990, will finish out the school year at MHS. If he does accept the head coaching spot, he will bring 20 years of successful coaching to a Raider program in need of a winning season. Barnes retired from the Wildcats' helm in 1997, giving way to current MHS head man Bill Sartin.
Richard Dark is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at rdark@themeridianstar.com.