Washington head football coach and Athletic Director Jon Blank has resigned from the school to pursue other endeavors, according Beaufort County Superintendent Matthew Cheeseman.

Cheeseman said he wishes Blank the best in the future and offered appreciation for his 18 years of service at Washington High School.

Blank came to Washington in 2002, starting out as a junior varsity offensive line and special teams coach before becoming defensive coordinator in 2005. His defense led the Pam Pack to a state championship game in 2014 under then-head coach Sport Sawyer. Blank was promoted to head coach in 2017, as well as the role of Athletic Director. He held a 17-19 record as a head coach, and finished 9-4 in 2019 with a trip to the second-round of the NCHSAA playoffs. Six different Washington sports programs won the 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference in the past calendar year.

“It’s a personal thing,” Blank said. “I needed to make some changes and the best way to do that is for me to move forward. I am looking at different options, but nothing is for sure.”

Blank said he wanted the players to know his resignation doesn’t have anything to do with them.

“They’re a great group of kids that are going to continue to be a good football team,” he said. “I wish them all the absolute best.”

Administrators are working on naming an interim head football coach, an interim athletic director and restructuring the English department at Washington High School, Cheeseman said. The selections are expected to be finalized by Monday.

Matthew Debnam contributed to this report.