ATLANTA — Things can only get better for the Clark Atlanta Football program, which won just 30% of its games since 2014, with two winless seasons over that span.
First-year head coach Teddy Keaton is hoping to finally turn things around.
"It's Atlanta. Why wouldn't you want to come?" Keaton asked. "Clark is looking for a winner. Atlanta is looking for a winner."
Keaton joins the program after serving as the head coach and quarterbacks coach at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, from 2018 to 2023. His plan to make Clark a winner once again is simple.
"Well, either you buy in, or we find someone new," Keaton said. "Some guys will make it. Some guys won't. Some guys just don't fit what we do. Some guys didn't give the effort we felt like we needed to give. So then we'll start again another recruiting cycle."
Keaton brought in 10 players during his first recruiting cycle, including quarterback David Wright from his last stop at conference foe Allen University.
"He believes in himself regardless of what happened. He threw 17 interceptions last year, even though he was the number-one player in the conference. He's a guy that believes in himself. He will add instant gratification to the offense, " Keaton said.
The new additions will help, but Keaton knows turning this program around will be anything but instant.
"You're talking about over a decade of losing," he explained. "We're not talking about something that is going to change overnight, but there are slow increments that can happen."
Keaton will lead the Panthers on the field Saturday for their spring game at 3 p.m.