MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown High football coach Matt Lacy stepped down Tuesday, marking the end of a four-year run where he compiled a 22-23 record with the Mohigans.
“The biggest reason is family,” Lacy said. “With three young kids at home, it became increasingly tough to juggle football and family. My wife and I talk about it after each season, even before I was the head coach. My oldest is in middle school and is running cross-country and will run track in the spring. My two youngest are both now in school and doing activities. I had two parents who didn’t miss anything and that’s what I wanted to be.
“It just became a year-round grind and was more work than fun.”
Lacy played for the Mohigans in the 1990s before becoming a coach with the program. Total, he spent 24 years playing or coaching at MHS.
“Over half my life has been a part of Morgantown football,” he said. “My mom and dad both helped with the instillation of the turf the first time around — my dad even learned how to drive a tractor to help put it in. I told the guys I wasn’t going to forsake them, but now I’ll be the fan in the stands that can question all the play calls rather than have to be the guy to make them.”
Lacy said he will volunteer to watch film and break down analytics if he’s asked to, but overall, he just wants to be a casual fan and observer.
He was named the head coach at MHS in 2016, replacing John Bowers, who is currently the athletic director at the school. In his first season, Lacy led the Mohigans to a 10-3 record and state semifinal appearance before losing to Martinsburg. The next two seasons also ended in playoff appearances but were first-round knockouts, and this year, MHS finished 3-7 and missed the postseason.
“We are so very grateful for the job Matt Lacy has done for MHS and MHS football,” Bowers said. “He has been with the program for 21 years. We will be forever indebted to him for his dedication to 1,000s of student-athletes. He was a valued and reliable assistant and transitioned into a caring, dedicated head coach for the last four years. We wish Matt nothing but the best in the next chapter of his life. MHS will conduct an extensive search for his replacement as head football coach at MHS.”
