Ahead of the 2001 football season, JB Arnold was hired to take over the Jefferson County program. When forming his staff, one of Arnold's first additions was Jason Strickland as offensive coordinator.
Fifteen seasons later, Arnold is still at Jefferson County, while Strickland has worked his way up the coaching ranks and is now in charge at Fitzgerald. On Friday, Strickland and the Purple Hurricane (12-1, Region 1, No. 2 seed) travel to Jefferson County to play Arnold's Warriors (12-1, Region 3, No. 1 seed) in the Class AA semifinals.
Arnold and Strickland remain good friends and talk regularly, including last Friday after each of their teams advanced past the quarterfinals. Fitzgerald convincingly beat previously undefeated and top-ranked Benedictine - the defending state champs - while Jefferson County edged Rabun County on a last second field goal.
"We talked for a long time (on Friday night)," said Strickland, now in his fourth season as Fitzgerald's coach. "I think we're two coaches who admire each other. We talked about what we've accomplished and I talked about how I've learned so much from him."
That Arnold and Strickland are playing each other for a ticket to the Georgia Dome is a testament to how far both coaches have come.
Arnold took over the small-town Warriors program in 2001 following the retirement of long-time coach Charles Rutland, a community favorite who had 28 seasons under his belt between Wrens and Jefferson County when he stepped down following the 2000 season.
When Arnold took over for Rutland, many in the community thought Arnold - who was an assistant on Rutland's staff - wasn't worthy of the head coaching gig, Strickland said.
At the time, Rutland had been the Warriors' only coach since the program began in 1995. He guided Jefferson County to a 29-33 record during his tenure, with his best season coming in '98, when the Warriors finished 9-2.
"They didn't think he deserved the job," Strickland said. "But there's no question JB has proven he deserved it and earned it."
The Arnold detractors had a case initially, with Jefferson County finishing each of Arnold's first three seasons with losing records. However, in 2004, Arnold posted his first winning season with the Warriors and hasn't had a losing season since. After consecutive 8-4 seasons in '13 and '14, the Warriors now find themselves in the semifinals for the first time in program history.
"He cleared the clutter," Strickland said. "He kept his nose to the grindstone. He's one of the hardest-working guys I know, and that's how he keeps his focus. He hears the negativity, but he wins every year."
On the flip side, the offensive coordinator gig at Jefferson County was Strickland's first experience coaching in high school. He stayed with Arnold and the Warriors for three seasons before moving on to assistant jobs at Westside Macon and Charlton County. That experience led to him becoming the head coach at Lamar County from 2008-11. Lamar County was a playoff team three of the final four seasons he was there and the Trojans reached the quarterfinals in 2011.
Strickland took over at Fitzgerald beginning in 2012.
"JB was always supportive of me when I was looking for other jobs," Strickland said.
For Arnold, it was an easy decision to do anything he could to push Strickland up the ranks.
"I always knew he could be a head coach," Arnold said. "He does a wonderful job and runs his Wing-T offense to precision. It's a brutal offense to stop and our defense is going to have to play a great game if we're going to have a chance."
Neither Arnold nor Strickland have been past the semifinals. Strickland guided the Purple Hurricane to the semifinals last season, but they would lose to GAC on a late field goal.
Both coaches describe this week's matchup as "ironic." Both seem content with knowing there will be only one team advancing.
"We both agreed that somehow, some way, one of us will be playing for a state championship," Strickland said. "Obviously, I hope it's us, and he hopes it's them."
Historical reference: GHSFHA.org.
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