Through a national record-setting high school coaching career in which his Maryville High School teams oftentimes had their way with the opposition, George Quarles got his own Way Friday night.
As he returned to the East Tennessee powerhouse that he guided to be honored in conjunction with the school's yearlong celebration of its 100 years of playing high school football in the Volunteer State, the veteran coach was surprised with the naming of a Maryville City Street in his honor just outside the school's entrance: George Quarles Way.
With an overall record of an astounding 250 wins against just 16 losses in 18 seasons at the helm, Quarles was lauded in the early-2000s as believed to be the fastest coach in national high school football history to win 200 career games.
He famously began his career just 10-7 in his first 17 games at the helm and once half-joked with this reporter that he woke up every morning during that stretch "checking to see if there was a 'For sale' sign in our front yard."
"Tonight, we are excited to honor one of the greatest coaches in high school football history: Maryville's own Coach George Quarles," said legendary Maryville public address announcer Greg Judkins.
"Under his leadership, Maryville became a symbol of of discipline, teamwork and commitment recognized across the country. Beyond the wins and the titles, Coach Quarles helped shape young men into leaders, teaching lessons that extended far beyond the football field.
"Tonight, we celebrate not just his accomplishments but the legacy he built, one that is still woven into the fabric of the program and the school to this day."
Quarles, who tragically lost his mother, Helen, late last month to cancer, was joined at the ceremony by his father, Bill,; wife, Leslie; sons, Jack and Beau; sister, Amy, and brother, Taylor with whom Quarles played collegiately at Furman University.
George Quarles also is a former Furman offensive coordinator, ETSU head coach and presently is tight ends coach for Jeff Faris at Austin Peay, an FCS program that earlier this year turned heads nationally with a beatdown of FBS program MTSU, coached by Derek Mason.
"It's hard to put into words," Quarles told Jesse Smithey, whose 5starpreps.com web site has become to go-to for East Tennessee "Maryville means so much to me and my family. Such a special place, and not because of the wins but because of the people. And the wins are great, don't get me wrong, but so many great people here, players, coaches."