Greg Watts made it official today: he is stepping down as head football coach and athletic director at Mortimer Jordan.

Watts, 54, will retire from the Jefferson County Schools, and take a position either with a private school outside the state retirement system, or a different line of work altogether.

Watts has been the head coach of the Blue Devils since the 1999 season. His record during that tenure is 79-71, but 4-7 in post-season play. His best season was in 2001, when the Devils lost only one regular-season game, that by six points to Hartselle. Jordan advanced to the Class 5A Region 7 quarterfinals that season, losing 17-14 to Russellville. They also made it to the second round in 2006, again knocked out by Russellville.

The last few seasons, however, have not been as successful. The Devils have not posted a winning record since 2006, even though they made the playoffs twice. They were 5-6 last year, falling in the first round at McAdory.

Jordan becomes the fifth local school to undergo a coaching change this season. Chris Fancher resigned last week from Gardendale, Keith Register moved from Fultondale to Hayden to replace Steve Kerby, and Mike Bramblett stepped down at Locust Fork to return as an assistant at Hoover.

[Edited at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 5 to correct Fancher’s name.]