More than 50 high school football teams have had head-coaching openings this offseason. Here are some of the more recent ones with a list of the those that have been reported.
Credit: Todd Holcomb
Credit: Todd Holcomb
Chupp returns to coaching at King's Ridge
Jimmy Chupp, who led Greater Atlanta Christian to the Class AA football finals in 2002, is a head coach again.
King’s Ridge Christian in Alpharetta has hired Chupp to replace Jeff Pickren, who started the program in 2008.
Chupp was GAC’s coach from 1999 to 2007. His record was 89-24, and he never had a season with fewer than eight victories. The 2002 team was 13-2.
Chupp has worked at GAC for 21 of the past 22 years, most recently as facilities director and assistant football coach. King’s Ridge has never had a winning record in football and finished 1-9 each of the past two seasons.
Former UGA player gets North Clayton job
North Clayton has hired Jonesboro assistant Cap Burnett, an alumnus and former Georgia player, to replace James Soza, who was 8-22 in three seasons. Burnett was an all-state player at North Clayton in 1996 and played at Georgia until being forced to give up football for medical reasons. He got into high school coaching under Don Shockley, his former coach, and had been at Jonesboro the past few seasons.
Lawrence hired at struggling Stewart County
Stewart County has hired former Redan coach Clinton Lawrence to replace Travis Terry. Stewart County broke away from Stewart-Quitman in 2008 and has won only four games. The Royal Knights are on a 30-game losing streak. Lawrence was 8-12 in two seasons at Redan, which has not had a winning season since Lawrence’s 2010 team went 5-5.
Bowen takes Montgomery County job
Mongtomery County has hired Cross Keys head coach John Bowen to replace Eric McDonald. Bowen is known for taking on some of the toughest jobs in the state, including Glascock County, where his 1999 team broke an 82-game losing streak. Bowen was Hephzibah’s coach for 10 seasons (2005-14) and led the Rebels to three playoff appearances. Montgomery County was 0-10 in 2015.
Miller Grove hires Larmond
Justin Larmond, the defensive coordinator for Creekside’s Class AAAAA championship team of 2013, is the new head coach at Miller Grove in DeKalb County. Larmond was defensive coordinator for one season at Griffin, which recently fired head coach Jarrett Laws. Miller Grove has won six state titles in boys basketball but never more than six games in a football season since its 2005 opening.
Druid Hills promotes JV coach
Druid Hills has promoted its junior-varsity coach, Myron Burton, to head football coach. Burton has worked at Druid Hills since 2007, primarily on the varsity, and for a time was the defensive coordinator. Burton played at Auburn and Tennessee State. Druid Hills has finished 4-6 each of the past six seasons.
Douglas County picks White
Douglas County has hired former Creekside head coach Johnny White to replace Jason Respert. White was a defensive assistant coach at Hughes the past four seasons. White was 19-12 in three seasons at Creekside (2009-11).
South Atlanta job is open
South Atlanta is looking for a new head football coach. Kevin Hill is out after finishes of 1-9, 2-8 at 1-9 at a school that hasn’t had a winning season since 1995.
Here are the 54 reported coaching changes or openings. The former coach is in parentheses.
Thanks to Steve Slay for compiling this list.
Banks County: Open (Biff Parson)
Bremen: Davis Russell (Scott Hodges)
Calvary Day: Open (Mark R. Stroud)
Carrollton: Sean Calhoun (Ed Dudley)
Carver-Columbus: Reggie Barlow (Joe Kegler)
Cedar Shoals: Leroy Ryals (Scott Wilkins)
Central-Carroll: Larry Kesler (Rico Zackery)
Chattahoochee County: Open (Josh Kemp)
Chestatee: Shaun Conley (Bill Forman)
Clarke Central: David Perno (Ahren Self)
Cross Keys: Open (John Bowen)
Discovery: Open (Frank Hepler)
Douglas County: Johnny White (Jason Respert)
Druid Hills: Myron Burton (Mark Adams)
East Jackson: Christian Hunnicutt (Gary Hughes)
East Laurens: Open (Buddy Sorrows)
Forsyth Central: Frank Hepler (Shane Williamson)
Glenn Hills: Open (Tim McClain)
Griffin: Open (Jarrett Laws)
Grovetown: Damien Postell (Rodney Holder)
Hancock Central: Open (Zachary Harris)
Hardaway: Michael Woolridge (Jeff Battles)
Harris County: Open (Dwight Jones)
Heritage-Conyers: Corey Johnson (Wendell Early)
Jeff Davis: Open (Roger Metts)
Jordan: Justin Newman (Jim Brown)
King's Ridge Christian: Jimmy Chupp (Jeff Pickren)
Lamar County: Open (Jamie Abrams)
Marietta: Richard Morgan (Scott Burton)
Miller Grove: Justin Larmond (Damien Wimes)
Montgomery County: John Bowen (Eric McDonald)
Morrow: Open (Leroy Foster)
Mundy's Mill: Dwayne Davis (Greg Manior)
New Hampstead: Open (Bernard Gaither)
North Clayton: Cap Burnett (James Soza)
North Forsyth: Robert Craft (Jason Galt)
North Murray: Open (David Gann)
Oglethorpe County: Open (Jimbo Hale)
Our Lady of Mercy: Open (Mike Earwood)
Paulding County: Open (Scott Hamilton)
Rockdale County: Greg Manior (Venson Elder)
Rockmart: Biff Parson (Bin Turner)
Rutland: Mark Daniel (George Collins)
Schley County: Darren Alford (Mark Daniel)
South Atlanta: Open (Kevin Hill)
Stewart County: Clinton Lawrence (Travis Terry)
Swainsboro: Mark R. Stroud (Ken Eldridge)
Tattnall Square: Open (Clint Morgan)
Thomasville: Zach Grage (Leroy Ryals)
Toombs County: Richie Marsh (Lyman Guy)
Towns County: Open (Billy Barnhart)
Valdosta: Alan Rodemaker (Rance Gillespie)
Warner Robins: Mike Chastain (Bryan Way)
Whitewater: Open (Amos McCreary)
