New Faces : Decatur’s Cody Cory

Cody Cory may be a new face as head coach of the Decatur Bulldogs, but he is not new to the Decatur program. After back to back 6-4 seasons Decatur finished at 1-9 in 2016. The 83 total points scored by the Bulldogs last season was the lowest point total by a Decatur football team since 1988, and with that a change was made. Scott Jackson’s four year tenure ended and Cory was elevated from Defensive Coordinator to Head Coach.

decatur coach

Cory’s goal is to retool the Decatur program for long term success beyond 2017. In this day and age of transfers zooming around I-285 attempting to microwave a state title, Cory is aiming to build from within and it’s quite refreshing. “We need to build from underneath,” says Cory. “I started a youth program within Decatur in the spring, so the young players can grow up playing in our stadium and wearing Bulldogs across their chest. Doing things like that will be good for building our numbers over the next 3 to 5 years .”

Another thing Cory plans to do is walk the halls in search of athletes who are already attending Decatur but not coming out for football. I remember state championship coaches from back in the day saying that they always walked the halls in search of students who were not playing and getting them to participate. Cody Cory is going old school at Decatur and it just might pay off.

“I have been recruiting from within the building”, says Cory. “I have a 2 year plan and a 5 year plan. My 2 year plan was to find every able living body, so I went to the basketball team and found some guys and 3 of them will be starters this fall. They are leading by example not a lot of talk, just show up, do your job, and be responsible for what you’re supposed to be responsible for.”

decatur team and coach

While Cory was Defensive Coordinator in the past he admits to being an offensive guy by nature.The new head coach says his team must play fast on both sides of the ball. “We are undersized,” says Cory.” So we have to be better conditioned and quicker that they are.” In the days leading up to the start of the season Coach Cory wants to see commitment, execution and paying attention to details.” We have had them work hard this summer to get into their best shape”,says Cory. “Now lets execute and do the little things right”.

The Decatur Bulldogs opened the 2016 season with a 30-7 setback against McIntosh. The Bulldogs will try to even the score when they kick off the 2017 season against the Chiefs on August 18.

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