PEDRO – The Rock Hill Redmen were looking for a new head football coach.

Sunday, May 20, 2001

PEDRO – The Rock Hill Redmen were looking for a new head football coach. As it turned out, they only had to look down the hallway.

After a three year absence, Bob McCollister will return as the Redmen head coach as he replaces Andy Hall who resigned after three seasons to pursue another coaching position.

"I’m surprised by way things unfolded," McCollister said. "If you had told me a few months ago that I was going to come back as the head coach, I would have laughed. But in the last couple of weeks it’s surprised me how things have unfolded and here I am."

McCollister obtained his PhD seven years ago and retired from coaching in order to teach at the college level in the evenings. But the itch to coach resurfaced.

"It’s like an old tattoo. It never really goes away," McCollister said with a chuckle.

Even though he will coach football, McCollister still plans to continue teaching at Morehead State University’s Ashland, Ky., branch and at Shawnee State.

"The classes don’t start until the season is almost over, so it won’t be that much of a conflict," McCollister said.

McCollister has probably enjoyed the most overall success in the history of the school. Since the consolidation in the early 1950s, Rock Hill had won five league titles with McCollister owning two of the crowns.

The two championships came in back-to-back seasons, the only time that feat has been accomplished.

McCollister, who has had the longest tenure of any Rock Hill head coach, sports a 52-49 record during his 10 seasons. He also guided the school to its only postseason playoff