By Justin Graves

Justin@athensnews-courier.com

EAST LIMESTONE – Just three weeks before the season opener and four days after practice started, the East Limestone football team got hit with bad news Thursday afternoon when they found out Mike Cavnar was stepping down from his duties as head football coach.

East Limestone principal Dennis Black said that Cavnar came to him early Thursday morning to discuss some lingering health issues that he has had over the past year, and said that he believed it would be in the best interest of the football program if he stepped down from his duties as head football coach.

“Michael (Cavnar) was devoted to and loved the East Limestone football program,” Black said. “He believed that this was in the best interest of our football program and the players who have worked so hard to get where they are now.

“Michael (Cavnar) didn’t want to start something this year that he might not be able to finish. He wants what he believes is best for the players.”

Black said that they promoted East Limestone assistant football coach Jeff Pugh to head coach Thursday afternoon. Pugh was a head coach at West Limestone and Crossville before coming to East Limestone as an assistant last year.

“Jeff (Pugh) has head coaching experience, and is already familiar with our system,” Black said. “He will be able to fill the role effectively. We are proud to have Jeff (Pugh) lead our coaching staff at East Limestone.”

Black said he spoke with Limestone County superintendent Dr. Barry Carroll Thursday afternoon, and doesn’t believe there will be a problem getting Pugh approved by the Limestone County Board of Education.

“We play our first game in less than three weeks,” Black said. “That’s why it is important that everything gets taken care of in a timely manner.”

After the early death of his brother and former East Limestone football coach Phil Cavnar last summer, Mike Cavnar took over the program as head coach just weeks before the start of the season.

Black said that he is appreciative of everything Cavnar did for the football program at East Limestone, and said he would be missed.

“You can’t say enough about a guy like Michael (Cavnar),” Black said. “He was truly devoted to our football program, and cares about every one of the players. We appreciate everything that he has done for our program, and we will truly miss him as our head coach.”

East Limestone was ranked No. 8 in Class 4A in the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s preseason prep football poll.