Howard County's football coaching deck has received a firm shuffle with the resignation of two of its eight head coaches.
John Quinn of Howard, whose team has experienced three straight winning seasons, including a county title in 1993, has stepped down after nine years to become supervisor of science for grades six through 12.
Mark Cates of Mount Hebron, whose team went 3-27 during his three seasons as head coach and was 0-10 this season, resigned in hopes that a new coach might revive the struggling program. He will remain at Mount Hebron as athletic director and a social studies teacher.
Quinn, 40, was The Baltimore Sun's Howard County Coach of the Year in 1993 when his team posted a 9-2 record, won the county title and lost to Poly in the state playoffs. Seventeen years had transpired between football championships at Howard a school synonymous with football excellence during 1971-1975 when it won a state-record 47 straight games.
After an 8-2 record this season, including a 19-18 loss to Oakland Mills in the game that decided the county title and a playoff berth, the Lions had a 17-7 record over the past three seasons.
"It took longer than I thought it would to get the program where I hoped it could be," Quinn said. "And I'm grateful to [Howard principal] Gene Streagle for being patient with me. I think the program is where it should be now."
A former Penn State defensive lineman who lettered for three seasons and was a team captain, Quinn spent six years as an assistant coach at Oakland Mills, and two more at Hammond before taking the reins at Howard in 1986.
He was blessed with two outstanding players and team leaders over the past two seasons -- Guy Smith in 1993 and All-American DaLawn Parrish this past season.
Cates, 43, was unable to turn around a program that was suffering when he took over. Mount Hebron has lost 17 straight games.
It was outscored this season 292-22, and shut out seven times. In its last five games it was outscored, 171-0. At one point the team had only 15 able-bodied players in uniform and rarely had more than 18.
"I love Mount Hebron and the kids, and I'm saddened I have to leave now," Cates said. "But I really believe it is the best thing for Mount Hebron and for me.
"The kids were wonderful and the parents were more involved this season than ever before. We had Saturday breakfasts before games, and I have a lot of great memories. But there needs to be a change and that rainbow that comes with a new coach.
"We need to get more numbers to support a tremendous returning group, and that probably won't happen if I stay.
"We'll be moving for a strong replacement as soon as possible and expect to name someone within the week."
Cates, highly respected among his peers, spent seven years in the Mount Hebron football program, and five years as an assistant at Glenelg.