One might have thought that life would be a little easier for Poplarville’s John Miller when he gave up coaching after almost 25 years to concentrate on just his duties as athletics director for the Hornets.

Not so much.

Miller is in the process of hiring his seventh head coach for Poplarville in just over a year, including searching for the fifth head coach in one of the big three sports in boys athletics.

For the third time in 13 months, the Hornets are looking for a boys head basketball coach.

Joe Garvin was hired briefly last month to the post, but resigned after just a few weeks to accept a job at Jones Junior College, according to Miller.

Garvin replaced Luchious Moore, who lasted just one unsuccessful season after replacing Miller, one of the most acomplished coaches in Poplarville High School history.

“We had a bunch of people apply last time, so I hope we get a good response this time as well,” Miller said. He indicated that the school had just opened up the application process this week, and it would close on July 18th.

“We don’t want to rush into anything, but we would like to have someone in place by the start of school which is around the first week of August,” Miller added.

Miller said that any talk of him returning to the court were premature.

“No, I’ve hung it up,” he replied.

Poplarville joins its Pearl River County neighbor to the South, and Region 8-4A rival as well in Picayune as teams in search of a new boy’s head basketball coach.

The teams are coming off vastly different seasons, however, as the Maroon Tide under head coach Daniel Kennedy piled up a 35-5 mark, won the Class 4A South State championship and lost in the state finals in overtime to New Hope. Poplarville struggled to a 3-23 record under Moore, who was Miller’s assistant before moving up to the top spot.

Kennedy resigned last week and took over as the head coach at Albany, La.