The number of GHSA schools that have posted openings for a head football coach this off-season is up to 54. If history holds, there’s probably another 25 to 30 on the way.
Below is a look at some of the more recent openings and hires with a list of each one since the 2018 season ended.
*Stockbridge coach Kevin Whitley, who led the Tigers to the Class AAAAA semifinals last season, resigned this week after 10 seasons at the Henry County school with sources indicating he'll land elsewhere soon. Whitley's record was 99-28 in 10 seasons with five region titles at a school that had never won a playoff game until his arrival. Stockbridge was 24-76 in the century's first decade but is 97-20 since. The improvement of 73 victories is by far the largest of any school in the state among schools that have fielded teams each year since 2000. Prior to Stockbridge, Whitley coached at Creekside and led the Seminoles to three 10-win seasons. His most notable player there was Eric Berry.
*Landmark Christian has hired former NFL wide receiver Mike Sherrard to replace Joe Scott, who resigned after one season. Sherrard had been an assistant high school coach in his native California at Oaks Christian, Newbury Park, Brentwood, Bishop Alemany and Beverly Hills. Sherrard was a walk-on at UCLA and a first-round pick in the NFL to the Cowboys and won a Super Bowl with the 49ers. Landmark had been a consistent winner in Class A since 2001 until the past two seasons, when the War Eagles have finished 0-10 and 2-8.
*Banneker head coach Mario Allen, the Region 6-AAAAA coach of the year, has stepped down to pursue other opportunities farther from Atlanta. Allen led Banneker to a 9-2 finish and the school's first region title last season.
*Class A public-school champion Clinch County has promoted offensive coordinator Don Tison Jr. to replace the retiring Jim Dickerson, who won five state titles at the south Georgia school. Tison Jr's father was Clinch County's head coach from 1974 to 1993 and won state titles in 1988 and 1991.
*Alcovy has hired Jason Dukes to replace Chris Edgar. Dukes, an assistant the past two seasons at Catholic High of Baton Rouge, La., is best remembered as a Georgia coach for his work at Alpharetta, where his teams won region titles in 2011 and 2013.
Schools that have had openings with former coach and new hire if applicable.
*Centennial has hired Warner Robins offensive coordinator Shane Sams to replace Michael Perry, who took the head coaching job at East Hall. Sams also was Warner Robins' quarterbacks and helped develop Dylan Fromm, who threw for over 4,000 yards last season.
*Charlton County has promoted 24-year assistant Russ Murray to replace Rich McWhorter, who took the Charlton County job. Murray has served as assistant head coach, offensive line coach, JV head coach and middle school head coach at the Class A program.
*Rutland has hired East Coweta defensive coordinator Rusty Easom to replace Mark Daniel, who retired.
*Shiloh has hired Palm Beach head coach Tino Lerulli to replace Ryan Andrews.
*Bacon County has hired Houston County offensive coordinator Keith Gosse to replace Kyle Langford
*Stone Mountain has hired Morrow defensive coordinator James Lal to replace James Collier.
*Jep Irwin, who resigned as Lassiter's head coach after nine seasons, has taken a job as head coach at Whitley County in Kentucky.
*Chamblee has hired Duluth offensive coordinator Scott Schwarzer to replace Curtis Mattair.
Below is a list of off-season changes with the former coach and, if applicable, the newly hired coach.
Alcovy: Chris Edgar (Hired Jason Dukes)
Bacon County: Kyle Langford (Hired Keith Gosse)
Banneker: Mario Allen
Bradwell Institute: Ross Couch
Buford: John Ford (Hired Bryant Appling)
Centennial: Michael Perry (Hired Shane Sams)
Chamblee: Curtis Mattair (Hired Scott Schwarzer)
Charlton County: Rich McWhorter (Hired Russ Murray
Clinch County: Jim Dickerson (Hired Don Tison Jr.)
Cook: Bobby Jones (Hired Jimmy Rodgers)
Dougherty: Damien Gary
Drew: Dorwyn Lyles
East Hall: Scott Patrick (Hired Michael Perry)
East Jackson: Scott Wilkins (Hired Cameron Pettus)
Elbert County: Sid Fritts (Hired Brad Waggoner)
Fayette County: Mike Davis (Hired Nick Davis
Forest Park: Martez Edwards
George Walton Academy: Don Williams (Hired Shane Davis)
Gilmer: Casey Wingard (Hired Kevin Saunders
Grayson: Christian Hunnicutt
Greenville: Vex Farley
Groves: Michael Martin
Henry County: Mo Starr
Jackson County: Brandon Worley (Hired Rich McWhorter)
Jenkins County: Charley Waters (Hired David Johnson)
Josey: Marcus Jackson (Hired John Starr II)
Landmark Christian: Joe Scott (Hired Mike Sherrard)
Laney: Rodney McFadden
Langston Hughes: Wille Cannon (Hired Daniel Williams)
Lassister: Jep Irwin
Lithia Springs: Kevin Hill
Mill Creek: Shannon Jarvis (Hired Josh Lovelady)
New Manchester: Myron Terry
Newton: Terrence Banks (Hired Camiel Grant)
Pacelli: Mark LeGree (Hired Dwight Jones)
Pebblebrook: Kevin Saunders
Pickens: Chris Parker (Hired Jeff Nelson)
Rabun: Lee Shaw (Hired Jaybo Shaw)
Randolph Clay: Harvey Smith
Ridgeland: Cortney Braswell
River Ridge: Tyler Wynn (Hired Mike Collins)
Rutland: Mark Daniel (Hired Rusty Easom)
Shiloh: Ryan Andrews (Hired Tino Lerulli)
South Effingham: Donnie Revell (Hired Nathan Clark)
Spalding: Nick Davis
Spencer: Justin Newman (Hired Robert Sanders)
Stockbridge: Kevin Whitley
Stone Mountain: James Collier (Hired James Lal)
Towns County: John Cornett
Turner County: Leroy Hood
Villa Rica: Rico Zachery (Hired Christian Hunnicutt)
Washington-Willes: Chad Alligood
Westside-Augusta: Scott Tate
Wheeler: Mike Collins
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