Thomson football coach Rob Ridings retired as a public school teacher on Thursday and accepted a position as Prince Avenue Christians’ defensive coordinator.
Ridings, who just completed his 30th year teaching and coaching in public schools, was 39-13 in four years at Thomson and led the bulldogs to two region titles and the Class AAAA championship game in 2016. Ridings also was head coach at Glynn Academy (2004-13) and Troup (1996-98).
Ridings was an assistant coach on state-championship teams at Thomson (2002) and LaGrange (2001). His career record is 119-73.
There have been 65 openings for head coaches in the off-season. Here are others that have not been reported here.
Dudley takes Winder-Barrow job
Winder-Barrow has hired Wesleyan offensive coordinator Ed Dudley to replace Heath Webb, who took the head-coaching job at Gainesville. Dudley’s record as a head coach is 193-87 in 24 seasons with stops at Carrollton (2014-15), Ware County (2009-13), Walton (1995-2008) and Buford (1992-94). His teams have won seven region championships. His Ware County team was the Class AAAAA runner-up to Gainesville in 2012. A St. Pius graduate, Dudley began his coaching career on the staff of Clarke Central’s Billy Henderson in the 1980s.
Americus-Sumter hires Harold
Americus-Sumter has hired Larry Harold as head coach to replace Erik Soliday, who retired from public-school coaching and became head coach at Tiftarea Acadey of the GHSA. Harold is best known as the high school head coach of Georgia All-America linebacker Roquan Smith while at Macon County (2012-14). The 2014 Macon County team won its first region title in seven years. Harold also has been head coach at Brunswick (2015-16). His record is 29-34.
Landmark Christian picks South Paulding assistant
Landmark Christian has hired South Paulding defensive coordinator Joe Scott to replace Wayne Brantley, who was let go after six seasons. Scott has coached high school football for 15 years. Scott played for Division 1-AA national championship teams in 1999 and 2000 at Georgia Southern. Landmark’s streak of 17 winning seasons ended in 2017 with an 0-10 finish.
Off-season openings and hires:
Americus-Sumter: Larry Harold
Apalachee: Tony Lotti
Armuchee: Jeremy Green
Banks County: Chad Cheatham
Berkmar: Willie Gary
Berrien: Tim Alligood
Bowdon: Richard Fendley
Brantley County: Geoff Cannon
Bryan County: Abram Scott
Carver (Columbus): Corey Joyner
Central (Macon): Open
Cherokee Bluff: Tommy Jones
Crawford County: Jhon Smith
Creekview: Adam Carter
Dacula: Clint Jenkins
Denmark: Terry Crowder
Dougherty: Damien Gary
East Laurens: Bin Turner
Fannin County: Open
Franklin County: Paul Sutherland
Gainesville: Heath Webb
Grady: Kevin Clark
Greene County: Larry Milligan
Hiram: Pete Fominaya
Johnson (Savannah): Kenderrick Bonner
Jordan: Open
Kendrick: Andre Slappey
Kennesaw Mountain: Caleb Carmean
KIPP Atlanta Collegiate: Open
LaFayette: Paul Ellis
LaGrange: Chuck Gibbs
Landmark Christian: Joe Scott
Lanier County: Kurt Williams
Lincoln County: Open
McIntosh County Academy: Tony Glazer
Metter: Rodney Garvin
Miller Grove: Lee Hannah
Model: Richard Ross
Mountain View: Rob Kellogg
North Paulding: Jim Bob Bryant
Northgate: Mike McDonald
Northside (Columbus): Dave Nurnberg
Pataula Charter: Open
Putnam County: Shaun Pope
Ridgeland: Courtney Braswell
Riverdale: Corey Jarvis
Riverwood: Robert Edwards
Rockdale County: Jamie Baldwin
Savannah Christian: Baker Woodward
South Paulding: Jason Thompson
Southeast Bulloch: Barrett Davis
St. Francis: Open
Stephens County: Wesley Tankersley
Thomas County Central: Ashley Henderson
Treutlen: Steve Versprille
Tri-Cities: Innis Claud
Twiggs County: Kelvin Blackshear
Veterans: Milan Turner
Walnut Grove: Robert Andrews
West Hall: Krofton Montgomery
Westover: Olten Downs
Wheeler County: Open
Whitefield Academy: Coleman Joiner
Wilcox County: Ken Cofer
Winder-Barrow: Ed Dudley
