CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) – Chad Watson knew he was taking over one of the most talented athletic teams in the area when he accepted the head coaching job at Northeast High School. But as any head coach will tell you, he will only be as good as the assistant coaches that he surrounds himself with. That’s exactly what Watson set out to do.

Joining the Northeast staff this season will be new offensive coordinator Henry Woodard.

Woodard comes to the Eagles from Madison Academy in Huntsville, Alabama where he served as the wide receiver’s coach. Woodard also coached wide receivers at Faulkner University in Montgomery before that. Coach Woodard is looking forward to his new opportunity.

“I’m excited about the athletes! We’re athletic and fast. I’m also excited about the progress we’ve made on the offensive side of the ball in the short time we’ve had them. The kids are buying in and working hard. The coaching staff is putting a lot of hard work in,” Woodard said.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to run my own offense and to work with coach Watson. He and I have been close friends for a while now and I believed in the vision he had for the NE program. Northeast is a place I think we can win a lot of games because the players are there, and getting the opportunity.”

The old saying “defense wins championships” still holds strong today. The Eagles have brought in Todd Pait as the defensive coordinator. Pait served this past season as the Head Coach at West Bladen High School in North Carolina.

“The one thing that has excited me about this team is the enthusiasm. The kids are excited and they understand how good they can be. Seeing kids with this much talent believing in themselves and working hard toward a common goal is what coaching is all about,” Pait said.

Pait, who served in the military here at Fort Campbell, has seen the Eagles in action long before he became a coach.

“I remember one of the first things I did as a young soldier in Clarksville back in 2004 was to go to a Northeast football game and I remember thinking how great it would be to work there. The atmosphere was great, the athletes were exceptional, and the community rallied behind the team. I could not be any more excited to be an Eagle and work with Coach Watson and the best coaching staff in Clarksville,” Pait said.

Coach Watson knows the importance of good assistant coaches and believes he has the right guys for the job.

“Coach Woodard is one of the best football minds that I know. He brings a level of organization to the program that we need. Every day he is studying and analyzing how we can improve as a team and staff. Also his past experience as a recruiting coordinator at Faulkner University will allow him to serve the kids as a resource to help them understand what it takes to play at the next level. I am extremely excited about having him as the play caller at Northeast,” Watson said.

“Coach Pait is a high energy guy who is passionate about playing an aggressive style of defense. Todd has collegiate experience playing linebacker at Appalachian State, so just like Henry he can give our kids a firsthand account at what it takes to play at the next level. Todd is going to be a great guy to have on staff.”

The Eagles scrimmage Overton Thursday night at Forterra stadium at 5:30. They open their 2017 season on August 19th at Central Hardin in Kenticky. Keep up with the Eagles on twitter @NEFOOTBAL17.

If you’re a fan of local High School football, follow the Friday Night Blitz on twitter @931friniteblitz.