Deep Run finds new football coach in Brentsville’s Joe Mullinax
GLEN ALLEN, Va. (BVM) — After the sudden retirement of head football coach Chad Hornik in April, the Deep Run Wildcats knew they needed a strong candidate to fill the former head man’s shoes. In five seasons with the Wildcats, Hornik coached the team to a 30-19 record and three playoff appearances. That level of success is not easily created, but Deep Run has found a replacement that should do a respectable job in trying to maintain that level of competitiveness.
On Wednesday, Deep Run principal Brian Fellows announced the school’s hiring of new head football coach Joe Mullinax. Mullinax comes from Class 3 Brentsville District High School where he coached the Tigers to a 23-19 overall record, including a 5-2 record during the abbreviated spring season this year, three district titles and four playoff appearances in his four years at the helm, extending the program’s playoff streak to six seasons.
“I am thankful for the opportunity and look forward to my family and I being part of the Deep Run community,” Mullinax said in a post on his Twitter page.
We are excited & proud to announce the hiring of Joe Mullinax @CoachMullinax as our next Head 🏈 Coach.
He will be formally introduced to the Wildcat football players and their families at an in-person meeting on Mon, May 24.#WildcatPrideRunsDeep @DRathletics @watchsportswire pic.twitter.com/J8MCmEUAeP
— Brian Fellows (@BFellows_DRHS) May 18, 2021
Mullinax will come to the Wildcats with extensive football knowledge and experience. A graduate from Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Va., Mullinax helped the Raiders reach the Division 6 Northwest Region final as a starting offensive lineman during his senior season in 2005. Following his high school career, Mullinax would play football at nearby Division III Randolph-Macon College.
Shortly after, the former offensive lineman would join the coaching staff of Lee-Davis High School in Mechanicsville, Va. as a defensive line coach before joining the staff at Bolton High School in Memphis, Tenn. where he would coach three seasons including the last two as the defensive coordinator before earning the job at Brentsville.
Prior to his acceptance of the Deep Run position, Mullinax released a statement announcing that he would not return to Brentsville next year.
“This was not an easy decision – outside of my marriage and the birth of my children, nothing has impacted me more, or has made me a better person in my adult life than my time at BDHS,” he wrote. “To my players. … I am so proud of the program we built together – and will cherish the time we spent making Brentsville Football what it is today.”
Wherever I go, I will always be #BuiltByBrentsville. #TigersForever. pic.twitter.com/UUgu6tpQHl
— Coach Mullinax (@CoachMullinax) May 18, 2021
With Mullinax at the helm, Deep Run should find similar success as it had under Hornik. Coming off of a 3-3 shortened season, the Wildcats would love to return to the postseason once again. Having not missed the postseason in any of his seasons with Brentsville, Mullinax can certainly be the one to bring the team back to the playoffs.
