Jess Simpson, who won seven state championships at Buford, is leaving high school football to join the staff at Georgia State.

Buford has reached the state finals a state-record 10 straight times. The Wolves lost to Rome 16-7 in the Class AAAAA final last week.

Simpson’s Buford record is 164-12. Three of the losses were games that Buford won but were overturned by forfeit for the inadvertent use of ineligible players.

Simpson’s move continues a recent trend of successful high school coaches who have left for the college rankings. Others moving include Grayson’s Mickey Conn (Clemson), Valdosta’s Rance Gillespie (Georgia Southern) and Carver-Columbus’s Dell McGee (Georgia Southern and then Georgia).

About the Author

Keep Reading

A new one-day event is heading to Atlanta's oldest golf course, East Lake Golf Club, this November. (Jason Getz/AJC 2024)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Featured

Pinky Cole's Ponce City Market location in Atlanta, Georgia, 'Bar Vegan', during lunch time on April 5, 2024. (Jamie Spaar for the Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Credit: Jamie Spaar