Being a head coach means you often have to make difficult decisions. For McIntosh County Academy’s Robby Robinson, this decision was easy: He decided to go for the win.
MCA had just scored and was trailing state-ranked Vidalia 14-13 with just over two minutes remaining in the game, and the extra point attempt was looming. The issue was deciding whether to kick it and tie the game for overtime or go for two and win it now.
But this wouldn’t be just any win. MCA had not won a game in two seasons, and they were playing the defending region champions. The quick pass for the two-point conversion was on target, and the stadium in Darien went wild.
“I was so proud of our kids,” Coach Robinson says. “They had experienced 14 straight losses. There’s no telling how much ridicule and trash talk people they had endured. I felt so bad for them, and it was just a relief for them to get that monkey off of their back.”
It was a milestone for a team that had not tasted victory since November 1, 2013. After suffering through a winless campaign last year, Robinson was hired for his second term as MCA coach in March. His initial goal was to get that first win under their belts and then go from there. Since his return, morale has improved among the players, throughout the school, and in the community.
Players show up for practice looking forward to learning each day and working to improve.
“We have definitely made strides in the right direction,” he says, acknowledging that they have had a few setbacks on Friday nights. “When you are trying to rebuild a program, usually you meet a lot of resistance among returning players, but we haven’t. That has been a big plus this year not to have to fight those kind of battles.” 
Robinson knew he had a major rebuilding job ahead of him when he took the MCA job for the second time in March. He was head coach in Darien from 2004-2010 and had a record of 54-21-1. He led the Bucs to the playoffs all seven years, including three region titles and a trip to the state quarterfinals one year. He left in 2011 to take over the program at Washington-Wilkes, which he rebuilt into a playoff contender. He returned to MCA to take on a program that had one winning season in the previous four years.
Although they were 1-4 at the halfway point this season, three of the Buc’s losses came to teams that were a combined 12-3; the fourth was to Class AAAAA Brunswick. Two weeks after getting their first win, the Bucs got their second victory by beating Groves 50-14. Later, in a game against Bryan County, MCA found itself in a similar situation, coming back late in the game to pull within a point of the Redskins. But this time the pass attempt on the PAT was thwarted, and MCA lost 20-19.
Stepping up for the Buccaneers have been players like offensive lineman Grayson Hulett, defensive back Devon WIlliams, defensive lineman Joseph Roberts, and linebackers Dallas Anthony and Jonathan Jason. Robinson has also noticed a change in the students with teachers reporting that they are better behaved in the classroom. He credits his coaching staff for helping rebuild the program and instilling a sense of pride in the players. Among his staff is his son, Knox Robinson, who graduated from MCA and played quarterback for the Bucs when they won a region championship.
“He’s happy to be back home,” Coach Robinson says. “He’s an alumni from here and he wanted to come back to fix his alma mater, to get it back to the level it was when he played.”
Robinson believes the coming offseason will be crucial for MCA’s journey back to their old winning ways. They will lose only four starters from this year’s team, which means they have a wealth of experience returning. They intend to work hard in the weight room and other areas to make strides on the field next season.
One change may be a return to a smaller classification. With the GHSA adjusting to seven classifications next year, McIntosh, with just 440 students, is likely to rejoin Class A in 2016.
“At least we will be playing schools the same size as us,” he says.
SE-CC-1115-Robinson
Coaches Corner
McIntosh County Academy
Robby Robinson
By Rob Asbell
Going For The Win
Thank you Coach Robinson!!