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GREENSBORO -- Grimsley athletics director Lewis Newman said Monday he's already heard from several coaches across the state who are interested in being the Whirlies' next head football coach.

That's the good news for Grimsley fans.

The bad news is that longtime Reidsville coach Jimmy Teague isn't one of them.

Teague, who announced his retirement last week, said Monday he would "be all over the job" at Grimsley were it not for the state's strict retirement guidelines. North Carolina teachers who retire can return to teaching or coaching after a six-month break -- but they can't do both and still draw their pension -- a practice called "double-dipping" in some states.

Teague said Monday he still wants to teach and coach next year. He said he's talking with several schools in Southern Virginia.

"Grimsley's a great job, but it's just not the right circumstances for me," said Teague. "They should have no problem finding a strong coach."

That process began Saturday, a day after Mark Saunders resigned as the Whirlies' coach. Saunders stepped down a month after the Whirlies finished 3-8. His two-year record at Grimsley was 14-10.

Newman said he's heard from coaches "locally, an hour away and across the state. It's a good mix," he said.

He declined to identify any of them.

Two years ago, Grimsley appeared to have one of the top football programs in the state -- one of the top academic schools in the nation that had just reached the state 4-A championship game. Just as important, Grimsley has an International Baccalaureate program that draws students from across the county, a program many coaches say helps them attract athletes from other schools.

But in the past two years, the school has gone through two coaches. Todd Shuping was fired weeks before the 2007 season was to begin. He left with nearly two dozen football players on academic probation. And earlier this season, Saunders was suspended a week for an undisclosed incident.

Newman said it was difficult to gauge how coaches perceive the Grimsley job, but he said the school "is rededicating itself to making Grimsley one of the best coaching positions in the city."

"I know we're no more happy with the quick turnaround we've had with coaches than our parents and fans are," he said

Newman said he doesn't have a timetable for hiring a new coach. He said he doesn't want to rush into a making a hire, but said there is some urgency given that students will resume weight training after the break. He said he will oversee the program until a coach is found.

Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell@news-record.com