Legendary Head Football Coach Steps Down At Manti High
Oct 20, 2022, 7:01 PM | Updated: 7:03 pm
Manti football coach Cole Meacham in his 14th year with the Templars. Meacham graduated from Richfield High before moving on to Snow College and Southern Utah University. (Courtesy of Deseret News)
(Courtesy of Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – Manti Templars head football coach Cole Meacham announced that he will step down from his position following the conclusion of the 2022 season.
The head coach officially announced his departure from Templars’ sidelines on Thursday, October 20.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Coach Meacham told KSLSports.com. “A lot of great kids, working with a lot of great coaches. It’s been great.”
Meacham expressed gratitude for a supportive administration at Manti High throughout his coaching tenure. Meacham has served as the Templars’ head coach for 23 years. Although he is leaving the gridiron, Meacham plans to continue teaching at Manti High School. Meacham teaches physical education and drivers education. He previously taught history.
Manti High shared the following message about Meacham on Facebook:
After 27 years coaching football at Manti High School, Coach Cole Meacham has decided to retire at the conclusion of this year’s playoffs. The MHS student body surprised him today with a pep assembly in his honor. We are forever grateful to him and his awesome family for their sacrifice, leadership and example! Numerous lives have been influenced by Coach Meacham over the past 27 years and Manti High School and our communities are better places because of him. We love you Coach Meacham! We are happy you will continue to teach at MHS, and we wish you and your team well throughout the playoffs! Come see the Templars take on the Ogden Tigers in Coach Meacham’s last home playoff game this Friday, October 21st at 4:00! #MHSForever #WeAreManti #GoTemplars
With extra time in the fall moving forward, Meacham plans to spend time fishing and hunting.
About Coach Cole Meacham
During his tenure coaching at Manti High, Meacham led the Templars to three state championships and five appearances in the 2A title game and another in 3A. Manti’s title game appearances under Meacham came in 2002, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2013. The Templars captured the 2A state title in 2003, 2011, and 2012.
Meacham owns a 153-98 record as Manti’s head coach.
Manti Football in 2022
This season, the Templars own a 4-6 record, including 2-3 in region play.
Manti opened its 2022 slate with a pair of victories over Union and Delta before suffering its first loss to Grantsville on August 26. After falling at home to the Cowboys, the Templars dropped two more games in a row for a three-game losing streak. Manti bounced back into the win column with a 42-13 blowout of the Carbon Dinos on September 16. Since beating the Dinos, the Templars have recorded one win (Richfield) and three more losses (Canyon View, North Sanpete, and Juab).
The Templars are currently on a two-game skid. Manti’s next game is a 3A first round playoff matchup against the Ogden Tigers. The Templars will host the Tigers on Friday, October 21 at 4 p.m. (MDT).
Ogden will arrive in Central Utah with a 3-6 record this season. The Tigers recently snapped a three-game losing streak with a 21-14 win over the Ben Lomond Scots. Aside from the win over Ben Lomond, Ogden’s other victories season, like Manti, have come against Carbon and Union.
