Coach Bud Wright resigns

By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com

Editor’s note: Sheridan High School Football Hall of Fame Coach Bud Wright mailed his resignation to school officials on Tuesday afternoon. His first phone call to discuss this decision was to Hamilton County Reporter Sports Editor Richie Hall.

A long and successful era at Sheridan High School came to an end on Tuesday.

Larry “Bud” Wright, the head football coach of the Blackhawks for 58 years, announced that he had resigned that position. Wright told The Reporter that the SHS administration gave him an ultimatum: resign or get fired.

“Several players and parents oppose me to continue coaching,” said Wright. “I turned in my letter of resignation today. Mailed it in today.”

Sheridan School Corporation Superintendent Dr. David Mundy provided the following statement to The Reporter Tuesday afternoon: “During the 2024 season, Sheridan Community Schools worked with Coach Wright regarding his coaching future. After discussion and consultation with his family, Coach Wright agreed that this would be his final season.”

Wright will step down as by far the winningest high school football coach in Indiana. He compiled an overall record of 464 wins, with 463 of them coming at Sheridan. Wright got his first win during his one season (1965) at Mt. Ayr, now part of North Newton High School.

Wright began coaching for the Blackhawks in the 1966 season. He led Sheridan to incredible heights during those years, including nine Class 1A state championships. The ‘Hawks won their first title in 1980, beating North Judson 27-0. That would be one of four shutouts for Sheridan in a state title game.

The Blackhawks won state again in 1984 and 1987. Sheridan defended its title in 1988 with an unbeaten team that outscored its opponents 363-18 in six tournament games, culminating in a 59-0 championship victory over Bremen.

“Brett Law set six national records,” said Wright. The coach remembered that Ben Davis won the 5A game that year, and the Giants fans were chanting “We want Sheridan!”

The ‘Hawks were also state champions in 1992 and 1998. Sheridan then made a big impact in the 2000s, winning state titles during a three-year span (2005-06-07) and reaching the finals again in 2008, led by quarterback Nick Zachery, a starter for the Blackhawks during that entire run.

“That group of kids took us to the state championship four years in a row when they were freshmen, seven of them played in the state championship game as freshmen,” said Wright. “That was a really good group of kids.”

Wright said his first state championship and ninth state championship both “have a lot of special meaning.” He has also received national recognition: Wright was named the national Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High Schools in 2008. He was also named the Indianapolis Colts Coach of the Year in 2023, which nominated him for the NFL’s Don Shula High School Coach of the Year.

Wright, who turns 84 on Dec. 13, graduated from Sheridan in 1959. He began playing football in sixth grade despite his small size. When he asked his mother if he could play football, she said yes, as long as he didn’t use his size as an excuse.

Wright played for the Ball State University football team his freshman and sophomore years; he graduated from there in 1963. He was an assistant coach at North Miami in 1963 and 1964, then spent his one year at Mt. Ayr before coming to Sheridan.

Wright said his time coaching the Blackhawks have been “very enjoyable years. People told me in 1966 that I should not come back to my hometown to coach, but I decided to do it anyway. I’ve never regretted it.” At the same time, Wright emphasized that he is resigning, not retiring, and wants to stay involved in football.

In addition to coaching at Sheridan, Wright was also a health and physical education teacher and also a history teacher. He served as the longtime athletic director for SHS; he resigned from teaching and administration in June 2004.