Jason Dukes, who led Alpharetta to its first region titles in football, is taking the head coaching job at Smiths Station in Alabama, Dukes told his players on Wednesday morning.
Alpharetta was 34-21 in Dukes’ five seasons, including 9-3 in 2013. The Raiders were 19-1 in region play over the past three seasons and won Region 6 championships in the highest classification in 2011 and 2013.
‘’It definitely has nothing to do with the kids and our program at Alpharetta,’’ Dukes said of his decision. “We’ve worked very hard to create a pretty successful program, and this coming up year Alpharetta might be as successful as it’s ever been with the collection of talent that we have. But for myself, Smith’s Station presents some opportunities financially and career-wise that I couldn’t afford to pass up.’’
Dukes, an Augusta native, was a four-year starter on the offensive line at Georgia Tech in the early 1990s. He worked as an assistant at Alpharetta for five seasons before getting the head coaching job in 2009.
There were 28 former Alpharetta players on college rosters in 2013 who had played for Dukes. Those included Joshua Dobbs, the projected starting quarterback for Tennessee next season, and offensive lineman Connor Hollenbeck, a three-time All-American at Division III Washington & Lee.
Dukes said his best memories of Alpharetta have been the relationships he has made with players and the success that the program had in recent years.
‘’It started with our first playoff game four years ago to a team that has been a region champion or close every year over the last three,’’ Dukes said. ‘’We’ve had guys come through our program, work their tails and leave as champions. We’ve had many blessed to continue to play the game at the next level. There have been a lot of good kids and fantastic kids to come through here.''
Dukes indicated that he would consider hiring some of his current staff to join him in Alabama.
‘’Much of the credit for the success here has been the (assistant) coaches, and I’m going to do everything in my power to bring some of them with me,’’ he said. “I know that sounds selfish, but I know this group I’ve assembled is a winning combination.’’
Smiths Station, located 10 miles northwest of Columbus, was 10-3 last season in Alabama’s highest classification under Mark Rose, who left to take the head coaching job at North Jackson in Stevenson, Ala. The 10-win season was the school’s first since 1996.
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