That era ended Tuesday. Overton will take over at Hayfield, he told The Washington Post, starting a new chapter of his coaching career in Alexandria.
“New opportunity. I’ve been blessed and fortunate here at Freedom. No ill feelings — I wasn’t asked to resign or forced out,” Overton said. “Just the opportunity came up that I felt like I needed to take advantage of and couldn’t let go past. Excited to get up there in that community.”
Overton, 41, takes charge of a Hayfield program that won six games last season and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2018; Overton’s Eagles knocked the Hawks out of the postseason in the ensuing round that year. The Hawks, who began play in 1969, have never won a football state title.
Hayfield had a roster of more than 130 players last season — dwarfing the 54-man team the Eagles fielded — so Overton sees a program that can evolve. He replaces Said Aziz, who this past season coached the Hawks to a 6-5 record, culminating in a 41-19 loss to West Springfield in the opening round of the Class 6 playoffs.
“[Winning at Freedom] is difficult to sustain because, with our demographic, we’re in the largest classification due to enrollment but we’re only getting a third of our [student] population to play sports,” he said.
All but two members of Overton’s coaching staff from this year’s state championship team are making the move with him, he said. Overton said he hasn’t reached out to any returning players about transferring to Hayfield; that group includes reigning All-Met Offensive Player of the Year Jeff Overton Jr., the coach’s nephew.
“All I can speak on is the guys that I’ve seen via film from Hayfield,” Overton said. “I plan on having a good season no matter what.”
Before Overton arrived in 2015, Freedom had never won more than three games in a season. Overton brought an instant spark, leading to a run that included six district titles, three region championships and two state crowns. Overton said he is most proud of the relationships he built over the years, as well as the 50-plus athletes he has sent to NCAA programs during his time with the Eagles.
“Freedom is like my baby,” he said. “… It’s a bittersweet thing, but I just think it’s time to move on, take on a new challenge.”
Overton said he will continue to coach the Freedom girls’ basketball team — which recently became the first district champion of any girls’ squad at the school since it opened in 2004 — and he plans to do so next season as well.