Liberty County football coach Kirk Warner remembered for lessons taught on and off field
For those who lined up against Kirk Warner or coached against him on the football field, the former University of Georgia standout had the reputation as being tough as nails.
As the head coach at Liberty County for 20 seasons, he passed along that rugged style to his players. But behind that steely demeanor, Warner had a heart of gold and created lifelong relationships with his players.
Warner died on June 16 in Florida after a battle with a rare form of cancer called angiosarcoma. He is survived by his wife Kimberly and three sons, Kameron, Karrington and Kelzey.
A graduate of Bleckley County High where he was an all-state selection in football and basketball, he went on to play tight end at UGA. He had 50 catches for 733 yards in four years with the Bulldogs, including 30 catches for 404 yards and a score in his senior season of 1989.
In 20 seasons at Liberty County, Warner posted a record of 106-103, winning three region titles and reaching the state playoffs 11 times. He led the Panthers to state quarterfinal berths in 2016 and 2017.
Winning was always a goal for Warner, but the relationships he made with his players and fellow coaches were the most important thing.
Kirk Warner was a coach and mentor for Richard LeCounte
Warner was a coach and mentor for Richard LeCounte, who graduated from Liberty County in 2017 and followed in Warner's footsteps to become a star at UGA. LeCounte is now a defensive back with the Cleveland Browns.
He also coached Raekwon McMillan, who won the High School Butkus Award in his senior season of 2013 before going on to become an All-American at Ohio State. McMillan is now a linebacker with the New England Patriots.
"Coach Warner taught us in a professional way what you needed to do to get to the next level," McMillan said in a phone interview Friday morning. "He was the only coach I knew who had come from a small town and went on to play at a school like Georgia. He made sure we worked hard and were dedicated — and he motivated us to be somebody, on and off the field.
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"It's no coincidence that guys like me, Richard (LeCounte) and Jaalon (Frazier) all ended up getting scholarships. We had something in common, and that was playing for coach Warner. He was at our games since we were in youth leagues, and he came to my championship games at Ohio State and then when I was with the Dolphins. He was a great guy with a great heart, and he was always there for you to reach out to about anything you needed in life."
Ryan Glazer remembers the Liberty County football coach
Ryan Glazer coached at Liberty County with Warner for 13 seasons before stepping away three years ago. He said he learned a lot from his close friend, and it was more than just about football.
"It was just the example he set for everyone as a man," Glazer said. "Before I ever had kids, I saw coach Warner and the father he was to his three sons. They were at every practice and game growing up. And he treated his players like they were his own kids. He was hard on them when he needed to be, but he also did things that nobody knows about to help some of them.
"This all came so quickly out of nowhere. Coach Warner was a good man and a good friend and we're all going to miss him."
Robert Walsh on 'how he got us to come together as a team'
Savannah Christian defensive coordinator Robert Walsh played quarterback for Warner and graduated from Liberty County in 2007.
"The thing I'll remember most about coach Warner is how he got us to come together as a team," Walsh said. "It didn't matter what kind of background you had, he taught us to play together and turned that program into a brotherhood. The team was like a family, and that's how he made it become such a successful program. He's going to be missed."
Jaalon Frazier was a dual threat quarterback under Warner at Liberty County and earned Savannah Morning News Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2016, the Panthers' best season under Warner when they finished 11-2. Frazier signed with Georgia Southern out of high school and is now playing as a graduate student at Wagner College in New York.
"I was close with coach Warner's sons growing up and my mom taught with him at Liberty County," Frazier said. "He was a strong Black man in my life — someone who I looked up to and wanted to be like someday. Coach was a caring person — you could talk with him about anything. He always kept it 100 with you, and if you were down, he would love you and bring you back up."
A public Celebration of Life service for Coach Warner will be held on Sunday, June 26, at 7 p.m. at Donnell Woods Stadium at Liberty County High School, 3216 East Oglethorpe Highway, Hinesville, GA 31313.
A visitation is set for Sunday, June 26, from 1 p.m.-6 p.m. at Emmanuel Christian Church, 866 Clarktown Rd., Richmond Hill, GA, 31324.
A private Homecoming Celebration will be held on Monday, June 27.
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Liberty County football coach and former UGA star Kirk Warner dies from cancer
