Former ECU assistant takes over as Ayden-Grifton High School football coach

by | Mar 28, 2025

A former East Carolina assistant under Skip Holtz and Ruffin McNeil has been named the head football coach at Ayden-Grifton High School.

Garrett Wingate has served as the school’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. He will take over for Paul Cornwell, who was named Pitt County Schools Athletic Director earlier this week.

Wingate will be the seventh football coach at the school.

According to his CoachTube.com page, he’s been an intern with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012) and has been an assistant coach at North Pitt High School (2013-2017), J.H. Rose (2017-2021) and Northern Nash (2022).

Wingate led Rose and Northern Nash to Eastern Regional championships and state title runners-up in 2021 and 2022 before landing at Ayden-Grifton.

Photo credit: Garrett Wingate (X photo)

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