West Georgia started football in 1981 and won a Division III national title in 1982 under coach Bobby Pate. Current Georgia high school head coaches Kevin Maloof of Norcross, Frank Barden of Stephens County and Kevin Kinsler of Northside (Warner Robins) played on that 1982 team. Each went on to win state titles as Georgia high school head coaches. West Georgia almnus Hal Lamb also won a state title at Calhoun. He came to West Georgia in 1983. Six other Georgia head coaches who have their teams in the current Top 10 are West Georgia alumni - J.B. Arnold of Jefferson County, Tim Barron of Heard County, Mike Chastain of Warner Robins, Andy Dyer of Archer, Brad Gordon of Mount Zion (Carroll) and Pete Wiggins of Callaway. Overall, there are 25 head football coaches in the GHSA who are alumni of West Georgia. Only Georgia Southern (35) and Valdosta State (25) have as many or more.
*J.B. Arnold, Jefferson County
*Jamie Aull, Our Lady of Mercy
*Frank Barden, Stephens Co.
*Tim Barron, Heard County
*Craig Bennett, Cambridge
*Chris Brown, Hiram
*Justin Brown, Trion
*David Bruce, Veterans
*Mike Chastain, Warner Robins
*Maurice Dixon, Creekside
*Andy Dyer, Archer
*Drew Fowler, Chattahoochee County
*Brad Gordon, Mount Zion (Carroll)
*Kevin Kinsler, Northside (Warner Robins)
*Hal Lamb, Calhoun
*Jon Lindsey, Appling County
*Keith Maloof, Norcross
*Tony Plott, Woodland (Cartersville)
*Sheddrick Risper, Westside (Macon)
*Jason Roquemore, Johnson (Gainesville)
*Steve Sims, Apalachee
*John Small, East Coweta
*Brad Stephens, South Atlanta
*Tony Welch, Claxton
*Pete Wiggins, Callaway
Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.
About the Author
