Soddy-Daisy has changed Kevin Orr’s status from interim to permanent as the school’s football coach.

Orr took over head coaching duties when E.K. Slaughter resigned to accept an offer from Cleveland.

“Coach Orr stepped in on the second day of spring practice and carried forward,” Soddy-Daisy principal John Maynard said. “He received tremendous support from the players and parents to have him as the coach. In the short term he worked out great and I think in the long term he will be a great person for us.”

Orr is familiar with the program. He has been on the staff for six years, working first for Glen Ryan, then Tom Weathers and then last year for Slaughter.

“I talked with several possible candidates on the phone and received several resumes. He was by far the best candidate,” Maynard said.

Orr coached for several years at Auburndale High in Auburndale, Fla., before moving to the Chattanooga area. He had head coaching opportunities in Florida but turned them down because he would have been coaching against Auburndale.

“I had other opportunities but I’m loyal to a fault and I couldn’t coach against my old high school,” he said. “This is really the only job I have wanted. I’m excited. I felt I was the right man for the job, but I guess I’m still overwhelmed that Mr. Maynard has the confidence in me to lead this program.”

Orr said there will be very little change in the offensive and defensive philosophies put in place last year by Slaughter, who turned the program around and got the Trojans into the second round of the Class AAA playoffs.

“It won’t change much at all. Coach Slaughter laid a great foundation and it won’t take a step backwards. What he started last year, I want to continue,” Orr said. “We have some big shoes to fill but these kids are amazing and we will be fighting hard this fall.”

Orr is somewhat short-handed at the moment. One assistant, Gary Murray, went with Slaughter to Cleveland, and another, Drew Lyness, went to Red Bank.

“We’ll take what’s on staff and run with it if we have to, but I’ll be out looking,” Orr said.