Spend a few minutes with Bill Stewart, and you can’t help but smile. The high school and college coach, who has experienced success as both a player and a coach, possesses the energy and enthusiasm that Rome High School fans have come to expect from the Wolves’ head coach.
Stewart was approved as Rome High School’s new football coach on Thursday morning at a called school board meeting at the Central Office.
“Coach Bill Stewart brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, as well as a winning history. He’s also someone who is a developer of men, who makes sure that his players grow not only as athletes, but as students and as people,” Rome City Schools Superintendent Dr. Eric L. Holland says. “We are excited to have him as our football coach, and we can’t wait to see him and his team take the field this fall.”
Rome High School Principal Parke Wilkinson echoes that excitement.
“Coach Stewart understands what it means to lead young men with high expectations and a strong sense of purpose,” Wilkinson says. “He is a state champion winning head coach that brings a proven track record, a passion for developing student athletes, and a commitment to excellence that aligns perfectly with the culture and tradition of Rome High School. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Wolves family.”
Stewart replaces John Reid, the winningest coach in school history, who also won the school’s only two state titles. Some coaches might shy away from replacing a legend, but Stewart relishes it.
“This is a place that knows how to create young men. I'm here to continue to raise the bar of the tradition that's been here. Holding up that tradition and building on that tradition is going to help us win football games,” he says. “We have to make our own path, but knowing that there is a legacy that's left behind.”
Stewart earned his first head coaching job at Etowah, leading the Eagles to three region titles and a berth in the state playoffs each year he coached. Those wins marked the first time the school had won a region title or reached the state playoffs.
He later took over at North Gwinnett, where he led the Bulldogs to the Class 7A State Title in 2017, the first state football title in school history. The Bulldogs made two semifinal appearances during his tenure and won four region titles while reaching at least the second round of the playoffs in all six years he coached there. All told, Stewart has won 101 games, seven region titles, and a state title as a head coach in Georgia.
Rome’s program has become renowned for high-achieving players and talented teams, and Stewart says fans can expect more of the same.
“When someone steps on the field against us, I think they're going to respect the way we play. Relentless effort, physical, I think those are always going to be a standard. We're going to compete at a high level, but we're going to do it the right way,” he says. “Our kids will play hard, and they'll be fast, physical, and play for each other. That's the way we'll go about doing things.”
Coach Reid was famous for telling Rome fans that his goal was to win a state title when he arrived more than a decade ago, and Stewart says his goals align with that vision.
“At the end of the day, this place is about winning. But we want to create young men who know how to be first class, to themselves, their family, and their community,” he says. “We want people to respect the way we play. Win the first, win the region, win the final. That's our goal. And when someone competes against us, I want them to know they just ran into a fast, physical team that plays for each other.”
Along with winning, Stewart beams with pride when discussing how rewarding it is to coach players and help them become better people.
“One of the things I really love as a coach is getting phone calls years later and hearing former players say they couldn't be where they are without how I prepared them,” Stewart says. “You realize you had a small piece in shaping someone's trajectory. Not the whole reason, but a piece of it. That's irreplaceable. I'm grateful every day, and I don't take that responsibility for granted.”
During his coaching tenure, Stewart has had more than 100 players go on to play in college, and six former players play professionally. Barrett Carter, now a linebacker for the Bengals who earned Rookie of the Week honors after recording 16 tackles against the Patriots in Week 12 of the NFL season, is one of those players Stewart coached in high school.
Stewart already has plans in place and mantras his players will likely hear often.
“Our thing to do every single day is grind, refine, and compete. We're going to grind, work hard, refine what we do, evaluate what we do, execute, and then repeat, and compete at that level. That's our deal every single day and every single week,” Stewart says. “Our goal is to win the first, win the region, and win the final. That's kind of the thing.”
Stewart’s excitement and eagerness to get started are obvious, and he openly talks about how ecstatic he is to be coaching in Rome.
“It's so exciting to be in a football city that knows what this is about. Football is not just a pastime, it's a part of life here in Rome. It's a huge responsibility and an incredible honor to follow John. We have mutual respect. The fact that I'm able to be here and carry this on means a lot to me,” he says. “I’m excited. My wife's excited. I’m ready to put on the Wolves hat and go. Go Wolves.”
Stewart began his coaching career at the University of Central Florida after starring for the Knights as a linebacker in the late 1980s and spending time playing professionally in the Arena Football League. He served as a defensive coordinator at Apopka and Armwood High Schools in Florida before joining the staff at Parkview High School. He coached for two years at Georgia Tech as an analyst and a linebackers coach and spent last year at Rabun County as defensive coordinator.