It’s been nearly 50 years, or half a century, filled with pigskins, shoulder pads, blood, sweat and tears, and winning for coach Larry Weems.

An iconic figure in Mississippi high school football for the past five decades, Weems is officially retiring, leaving an indelible mark on the sport and the communities he served.

Meridian Public School District will honor Weems on Thursday, Aug. 29, at Meridian High School’s season opener against Quitman in Ray Stadium, a game being played on the school’s new blue artificial turf football field. “Coach Larry Weems Night” will feature a half-time program to recognize Weems for his many achievements.

“I want to be free to be a fan on Friday night, to do the things I have put off doing,” Weems said of his decision to finally step away from coaching. “Football is a job that consumes you. From the time my high school coach at Forest Hills in Jackson, Mississippi, encouraged me to stick with football, I have been glad to be associated with all of these players and coaches. I have 12 grandchildren, so I am ready to spend some time keeping busy with them.”

Born in Union and raised in Jackson, Weems’ football skills were widely recognized at Forest Hill and later at Hinds Community College, where he earned All-State honors as a defensive back in 1971. With dreams of becoming a coach, Weems continued his higher education pursuits, receiving degrees from both Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Starting in 1975 as an assistant coach at Jackson Prep, Weems was instrumental in the success of the 1977 Jackson Prep MAISA state championship team. Then as an assistant coach at Meridian High, Weems helped lead the Wildcats to back-to-back Big Eight championship titles. His journey continued with a year as an assistant coach at Ole Miss before taking on head coaching roles at Biloxi and Pearl.

In 2006, Weems returned to Meridian High as head coach of the Wildcats, leading the team to South State titles in 2006 and 2010 and the Class 5A State Championship in 2008, defeating the South Panola Tigers 26-20 in overtime and snapping the Tigers’ 89-game winning streak. The win earned him the Mississippi Association of Coaches Coach of the Year award.

Weems also received other accolades over the years. Besides being named the MAC Football Coach of the Year in 2008, he was named the 2009 National Federation of State High School Associations Football Coach of the Year for Mississippi and was a nine-time regional Coach of the Year.

In 2004, Weems was selected to coach in the Bernard Blackwell North/South All-Star Game and was named a coach again in 2006 and 2010. In 2011, he was selected as the head coach of the Mississippi team in the prestigious Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Classic.

Over his 23 years as a head coach, Weems recorded 195 wins, won 12 region or division crowns and was a key part of six state championship teams.

His legacy was cemented with his induction into the Hinds Community College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame in 2016.

Former Meridian High coach Mac Barnes recalls hiring Weems in 1978.

“In 1978, we were a young team, ranked number two in the state. (Weems) coached offense and defense,” Barnes said. “We had no single coach with one responsibility. Weems, along with Fred Brashier and Wayne McDill, kept to the theme of ‘Togetherness.’ We had everybody, coaches and players, working for the same goal.”

In the years following, Weems took on the defensive play-calling for Barnes while Brashier called the offense.

Barnes said Weems was always a good friend as well.

“Our families vacationed together. We played golf. We watched film on the weekends. We scouted teams on Thursday nights,” he said. “(Weems) has one of the best minds, and I wish him good luck in his retirement. I hope he can relax and enjoy. I am proud of his accomplishments.”

Former high school player Chester Holton remembered Weems as the “cool” defensive coach during the 1983-85 years.

“He would swagger down the hall and get into that orange Dodge Charger that looked like the General Lee car. He had an admirable cockiness that resonated with us, making us all want to give 100%. He, along with coaches Mac Barnes and Fred Brasier, really brought out our competitive spirits,” Holton said.

Eddie Moss first met Weems in 1999 during his sophomore year.

“From day one, Coach Weems exemplified the finest qualities one could seek in a mentor. Under his guidance for four years as the head football coach at Carver Middle School, I witnessed firsthand his brilliant strategic mind, both offensively and defensively. He is undoubtedly one of the most astute sports minds to ever grace the fields of Meridian,” Moss said.

“His dedication not only brought us the championship but also deeply influenced my own career path. He was instrumental in promoting me to my first head coaching position at Carver Middle School, marking a pivotal moment in my life,” Moss said. “His teachings and philosophy have profoundly shaped my approach to coaching, enabling me to instill similar values and discipline in my programs. Coach Weems didn’t just build winning teams, he molded leaders, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”

Meridian standout and former Mississippi State quarterback Tyler Russell played for Weems in 2008 as quarterback of the state championship team. Russell credited Weems for his confidence and much of his success.

“Coach Weems is the one that really gave me confidence to play the QB position,” Russell said. “A lot of my success is credited to him teaching me. He’s been great to me, and I’m glad he finally can retire.”

Kevin Roberts, now an instructor at Mississippi State University, played defensive back for Weems from 2005-2009.

Roberts said that during his senior year Weems told his players he didn’t know if they would win one game that season.

“He said we didn’t play hard as a team, and we didn’t practice hard enough. I don’t think he really meant it, but I truly think this was his way of motivating us and challenging us to a great season,” Roberts said. “We went on to knock off South Panola and end their 89-game winning streak.”

Roberts said Weems was a great coach who always inspired and empowered his players.

“He helped me to see what I could be and led me and many others to places we never thought we could reach. He was always supportive, trusting and patient,” Roberts said. “He was someone who could guide people through difficult moments and help them confront their weaknesses. He loved MHS football and every young man that put on that jersey.”

Another former player, Chase Naylor, called Weems “second to none.”

“He embodied work ethic, family and the ability to connect to his players. He was confident in his coaching but also humble,” Naylor said. “No matter who we played, a team we were going to beat by 50 or a team we would struggle with, he always prepared us like it was the championship game.

“We used to call him a stubborn old goat because he did it his way. It’s ironic because in the eyes of the players he has coached and to many of the fans, he is just that, the Greatest of All Time,” Naylor said.

Former Meridian High kicker Kyle Boyken, a member of the 2012-2013 squad and currently serving as a lieutenant junior grade in the U.S. Navy, remembered how Weems commanded everyone’s attention.

“His presence was respected by everyone on the team. I had earned the nickname ‘One-Iron’ because I had good aim but could never quite get the full distance. Coach Chad Acton had been working with me in practice, but Coach Weems gave me a good pat on the helmet and cheered that I was finally able to drive through the ball on kickoff. I still held onto my nickname during my time with the team, but Coach Weems’ encouragement has forever had an impact on my life, even now some 12 years later,” Boyken said.

Montrez Mosley would have liked to have had more than one season playing for Weems.

“Coach Weems came in the year after a locker room favorite, Ed Stanley, left. His first time walking in the locker room, you could tell he meant business. We respected him, his staff and, most importantly, the game that he preached. He was strategic and had a sharp mind when it came to the game of football. His record at Meridian High School speaks for itself,” Mosley said.

Rashadd Houston was a part of the class of 2010. He appreciated Weems’ passion for his team.

“I will always hold Coach Weems in high regard because he always believed in us no matter who we lined up across,” Houston said. “He held us accountable. I would still run into a wall for him right now if he needed me to.”