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Greg Owens shows off a copy of the 2008 4A State Championship football trophy. Staff photo by Don Wallace -
Coach Owens looks over articles in the Sulphur Springs News-Telegram covering the state champion football run and title game held in San Antonio.
Owens leaving field with 150-131 record in 31 years
As a head coach and athletic director Greg Owens always had a burning desire to win on the football field.
He often said to reporters and players alike, that you had to get fired up to win and play the game with passion.
But Owens never let his quest for victories overshadow what his players over 31 years meant to him.
“Going to state and winning was great, fantastic. That whole playoff run was such fun for the entire community. We had thousands of fans in the Alamodome, it was great,” Owens said.
“But what I will miss the most is the relationships with the kids and coaches. It has been a special opportunity to coach the kids of former classmates. I love seeing a kind I coached years ago come back to talk and learn about his life now,” Owens said. “It is really cool hiring former players, then seeing them move on to be coordinators and head coaches.”
Owens in 31 years posted some impressive totals. The 2008 Class 4A State Championship with a 14-2 record. The Wildcats putting on a show for the ages, zipping up and down the gridiron with NASCAR speed, downing Dayton, 69-49 in a record-setting title game.
Owens rolled up a career record of 150-131 overall, 84-60 in district. His teams went 59-42 when he coached at Lindale from 1997-2005. At Sulphur Springs he posted a 91-89 mark, including the state title and many district honors from 2006 to 2021. Owens said that as much as he en
Owens said that as much as he enjoyed learning, growing and coaching at Lindale, the chance to come home to coach is alma mater was just too tempting to pass up.
“Lindale is a great place. They offered me a job right out of college and took me under their wing and I learned a lot. The players, other coaches and administration were great to me. We raised our family there and would stayed longer, but the Sulphur Spring job opened up,” Owens said.
Owens said he felt no special pressure coaching in high home town. The SSHS graduate joked that his parents might have, especially when he hired his brother to be on the coaching staff.
“I hope the parents here know we loved their kids,” Owens said. “We treated them like they were our own kids. We always wanted what was best for them.”
Owens himself was unsure of his future when he left Sulphur Springs as a young graduate more than 30 years ago. The coach, then a linebacker, earned looks from colleges and settled on the Lumberjacks of Stephen F. Austin State University.
“When Lynn Graves (then SFA coach) recruited me, I hadn’t heard of Stephen F. Austin, I couldn’t even pronounce Nacogdoches,” the coach said with a laugh. “But Coach Graves was honest and down-to-earth with me. He reminded me of my dad. He told me about the program. I visited and loved it that’s where I went.”
The new graduate wanted a business degree when he stepped foot on the college campus, but changed his mind as he moved toward graduation. “I was going to get a business degree, move to Dallas and make big money,” Owens said smiling. “That worked for a year or two, then I failed Calculus twice and I decided to change majors.”
The coach thought back to the influential people in his life and he decided that coaching was his best road.
“I started taking classes so I could teach and coach,” Owens said. “I liked history, so that was something I concentrated on instead of business.”
Owens said, “I’m not a mover or shaker. I got my degree, got plugged in Lindale and started working and it turned out to be a place I wanted to spent time. Both Lindale and Sulphur Springs have great people and work ethic. I’d interviewed for some metroplex jobs, I’m thankful they didn’t offer me a job.”
The coach said Lindale was a great place to learn under coach Ben Shipley.
“I was blessed to be a part of that,” Owens said. “I learned how to be a young coach. I got to work, then later I got the chance to coach Sulphur Springs. Both places were great to me and I thank all the people who helped and supported me along the way.”
Owens said, “I’ve had a lot of fun and success. It’s all because of the kids. I have been truly blessed. I’ve gotten to see kids grow from a snot-nosed seventh grader to grow into a player and get how to play the game. When they grasp what you are saying or mature in life, it’s just a blessing.”
“Now this is a bittersweet moment, I decided to retire. I have no plans, I’m going to step out on faith and see what happens,” Owens said. Owens said, “I’m too impatient to fish and not good enough to play golf. I’m not wired to sit around. Now is the best time for me to get leave. To get out of the way of the new guy they hire so he can begin to set his direction and begin leading kids toward his vision.” Owens said, “I’ve been a worker all my life, that’s why I’m kind of nervous about what’s next. But I plan to take some time off and see what’s next. I’m not going do much or think about anything until after the Christmas holidays.” "Coach Owens has been an incredible leader in this dis
"Coach Owens has been an incredible leader in this district for a long time. He has taught many student-athletes what it means to be a good father, husband and community member. His leadership and commitment to making better citizens in this world will be greatly missed, but will be forever remembered," said Michael Lamb, Sulphur Springs ISD Superintendent.
Lamb said the search for his replacement will begin this week with a new coach/AD in place in February.