Legendary Georgia HS football coach Welsh dies (UPDATED)
Luther Welsh, 79, who retired at Thomson High School last season after 46 years of coaching, died at mid-morning Thursday in an Augusta hospital, according to The Augusta Chronicle.
John Barnett, a family friend and a coaching assistant to Welsh for 19 years, confirmed the report. Barnett said he was making himself available to assist the family, and would share more news when it is available.
“Coach Welsh meant a lot of me and all the players,” Thomson defensive tackle John Atkins told the AJC on Thursday. Atkins, one of the state’s top college football prospect for 2012, played under Welsh for the last three years.
“He was a great person and great coach. Coach Welsh stayed on me and the rest of the players, always pushing us to be the best we could be.
Atkins said the mood around the Thomson community was subdued. “Coach Welsh was a living legend around here for winning games and winning state championships. Everybody is sad about his passing. He will be missed.”
The coach’s wife, Anne Welsh, died last Thursday. Beggs Funeral Home in Thomson handled arrangements for Anne Welsh.
Luther Welsh had a coaching record of 333-187, including three state championships. He coached at Thomson on two different occasions for a total of 19 years.
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74 comments Add your comment
Pamela
July 14th, 2011
3:04 pm
I meant to say May God rest his sou..not My God…
Todd Holcomb
July 14th, 2011
3:19 pm
Nice video piece on Welsh from an Augusta TV station -
http://www2.wjbf.com/news/2011/jul/14/looking-back-luther-welshs-life-career-ar-2110868/
Gene Walker
July 14th, 2011
3:29 pm
Coach Welsh was old school to the bone and had great disdain for internal school politics. He was always “what you see is what you get.” May he and Anne rest in peace.
teewest
July 14th, 2011
3:38 pm
Coach boys(Thompson team) taught my boys high school team how to play “real” football in 2002. They did’nt tackle like you see now, they picked the players up on my sons team, where their feet were dangling off the ground and bodyslammed them all game. My sons team gave up midway through 2nd quarter. Now that is how you play football!!!!
Reid in EAV
July 14th, 2011
3:50 pm
It seems like a lifetime ago that I attended grade school (K-9) in Thomson Georgia. High school football is indeed an enormous thing in that town: Valdosta or Odessa, TX (Friday Night Lights) have nothing on Thomson. EVERYBODY is at the home game on Friday night, from elementary schoolers to ministers to the town drunk. So I was there when Coach Welsh won the first two of his state titles, in 1985 and 1986, and the man was indeed a local hero. Later, he came back for a second coaching stint and much was made of the enormous age and culture gap between him and his players, yet he found ways to get it done.
Me, I was in the marching band, so I was afraid of him.
But I respected what he did on the field and around it. They don’t make ‘em like him anymore. A big loss.
Reid in EAV
July 14th, 2011
3:55 pm
And oh yes, the brand of football Welsh preached was old school to the core. Three yards and a cloud of dust. Run right. Run left. Run up the middle. Win it in the trenches. Tackle hard. You could watch every play of a THS game and see maybe two passes. I didn’t grow up knowing a lot about football, technically, so I didn’t get it when I went to school there, but later, during Welsh’s second run, the team played a televised championship game in the Dome (2002?) and I was amazed at how unrepentantly throwback the philosophy was. Just plain ol’ smashmouth football.
joshua jennings
July 14th, 2011
3:59 pm
the best football coach i know ….praying for the family
Reid in EAV
July 14th, 2011
4:00 pm
Correction: those state titles were ‘84 (with Jerry Mays powering the offense) and ‘85, which was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but turned into something more like “reloading.”
It’s no accident that of the players Thomson has sent to college and the pros, most of them are running backs and linemen. Oh, and one legendary punter (Oakland Raiders great Ray Guy).
jd
July 14th, 2011
4:17 pm
If you want to see old school football at its best, watch Luther’s 2002 championship team (AAAA). He had an offensive line like no other…everybody in the state knew Thomson would run the ball…just couldn’t stop them. And no matter how many times they scored, there were no showboats…it was all about the team!
dawg4u
July 14th, 2011
6:20 pm
This will surely be Coach Luther’s finest homecoming by far! Condolences to all family and friends.
IBTP
July 14th, 2011
7:53 pm
As a former prep sports writer in Statesboro, I had the opportunity to interview Coach Welsh several times. He was always gracious and professional in victory and defeat. It was an honor to speak with him….he was a true leader. God bless.
BW
July 14th, 2011
9:38 pm
Coach Welsh was commitment. When you coach for 56 years and your passion for the game is just as high the last year as it was the first…something to be said for that!!
My thoughts and prayers are with the Welsh family and the Thomson community
jim
July 14th, 2011
9:39 pm
What outstanding accolades! Apparently, these people praising coach Welsh don’t realize that the man had a mean streak while he coached at Screven County High School or that during practices he would “cuss like a sailor” or belittle his players on the field. So, please don’t elevate him to high school sainthood. He doesn’t deserve these remarks.
Warren P Field
July 14th, 2011
10:17 pm
Coach Welsh and Anne were family to my family. I had the privilege of playing for and against him in high school. My dad, Pat Field, coached with him for many years at Dougherty High. I also coached against him while at Thomasville and Cairo High. Anne and Lucia and Andrea have always been my family. We always had great respect for him and his teams. Although, this is sad that Anne and Coach died so close together, I know he is glad to be in Heaven with Ms. Anne. God bless both families. Love you
Big George
July 14th, 2011
11:35 pm
@ Jim…. I don’t personaly know coach Welsh but I have been around his team in Albany and coaches like him. Your comments are totally uncalled for on this ocassion . I had very difficult coaches who belittled me many times. It’s not personal. It’s all about making them a better person and football player. I appreciate every coach I had because they made me into a better man and I now understand why they do what they do. My hats off Coach Welsh because he “made a big Difference” to many young men . May peace be with his family.
Yunel's Frosted Tips
July 15th, 2011
12:47 am
Coach Welsh also coached baseball at Dougherty. We played them in the late 70’s..He was in the third base coaching box and I was pitching against them. Funny story…….I threw two strikes down the middle to a Dougherty batter who took them both.. He looked to Luther for a sign and Luther screamed at the top of his lungs……..”swing the dang bat son”…some of us cracked up and he looked across the infield and said “what’s so funny”……..you coulda heard a pin drop we were so scared of him and had heard the stories but he wasn’t even our coach. God bless his family and friends.
John Barnett
July 15th, 2011
10:05 am
What a blessing for me to have been Luther’s Defensive Coordinator for all of his 19 years at Thomson. He taught me, and others, more about life than you can imagine. He was a great man who believed in service to his family and whatever community in which he was working. I will miss him and Anne dearly. He is among the last of the old-school coaches. All of us who knew him are better for having done so. The impact he had on the lives of young people is rarely approached. For Luther, it was not just about winning games, it was about building young men. God bless you, Coach. Thanks for the memories.
AVikingFan
July 15th, 2011
1:34 pm
lowndes Viking fans salute you coach, and will never forget the memories of your great teams when you coached at Dougherty High in Albany. May you rest in peace in Heaven. I can close my eyes and still see you being interviewed on WALV-TV, Channel 10 in Albany. What a coach!
AVikingFan
July 15th, 2011
1:35 pm
Sorry meant to say WALB -TV (NBC)
fitzgerald
July 16th, 2011
4:58 pm
Condolences from a former Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane who now lives in Texas. News travels fast when we lose a person like Coach Welsh. We are all blessed when these fine people come into our lives.
jocotrojan
July 19th, 2011
11:49 am
Praying for the family… Losing 2 parents/grandarents in 1 wek is hard… May God keep this family strong.
True Fan
July 29th, 2011
8:29 am
Coach Welsh was a great coach, but more importantly he was a great person and an awesome motivator. KS Camden County
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