Former Edenton player and football staff member Perry Owens will be returning to eastern North Carolina as Washington’s new offensive coordinator, head football coach Jon Blank announced Tuesday.

After graduating from Edenton in 2009, Owens went on to play for Old Dominion. He later serves as offensive line coach and assistant offensive coordinator at Edenton for two years. Owens then moved on to stints at Thomasville and West Montgomery. Returning to eastern North Carolina was a priority for him, though.

“It was very important for me to come back to the 252,” he said. “Washington is about 45 minutes away from my family, and both of my parents are in their 70s, so it’s a great fit all the way around for me.”

After email correspondence, Blank interviewed Owens at the winter coach’s clinic in Greensboro in early February. Owens said the 20-minute interview turned into about three hours of the two talking in the hotel lobby.

“I enjoyed what he was saying about accountability and getting the weight room going,” Owens said. “… (Then) I had to go through the interview process of coming to Washington and things like that.”

Blank added, “We found some time to meet. We obviously hit it off pretty well. He came well prepared with a lot of weight-room information and a lot of playbook information. When someone shows up organized and well prepared, obviously it’s a good time to talk.”

Blank said that the strength and conditioning teacher aspect of the opening was more important than offensive coordinator part. Owens being abreast of his weight-room knowledge was an important factor in the hire.

“My first question was how is he in the weight room,” Blank said. “The teaching job is really more important than the coaching job. Anyone in the school will tell you that. I wanted to make sure we had the best strength and conditioning teacher we could get.”

Owens has already been brainstorming what he hopes to accomplish with the Pam Pack. He pointed out that Washington averaged less than 10 points a game last season. His focus is going to start at the foundation and build on from there.

“My goal is to come in and get fundamentally sound in all areas. No. 1 is taking care of the football and No. 2 is sustaining drives,” Owens said. “Ideally, I’d like to be no-huddle with spread and read option. In year one, my goal is to average more than nine points a game and to build confidence in the community and the system and the kids. Then we can really get this thing turned around.”

Owens admired the way Washington’s deffense has traditionally carried the team. On paper, with Blank moving up from defensive coordinator to head coach, the Pam Pack should still be stout on defense.

It’s that ebb and flow between the two that Owens believes can build the Pam Pack back into the championship contender it was not too long ago.

“A couple years ago, Washington was in a state-championship game. It was kind of that perfect year where the offense and defense worked together under coach (Sport) Sawyer,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting to work with coach Blank and getting that perfect mix a little more consistently so can get the program turned around.”

Owens’ last day at West Montgomery will be March 24. His first week at Washington will be April 3. The Pam Pack staff will take part in a clinic at Clemson shortly after his arrival.

“I’m crazy excited,” Owens said. “…I’ve been packing all week long before the announcement was made. I’ve been hoping and praying that it would all go through.”