About 30 high school football teams are without head coaches entering the new year, which is not unusual and only a portion of what lies ahead this winter.
There are usually about 80 coaching changes each off-season. There have been 38 reported with nine filled.
The most high-profile job searches are those at Buford, Mill Creek and Charlton County.
Buford and John Ford parted last month after two seasons. Buford reached only the quarterfinals in Class AAAAA last season, ending the Wolves’ 11-year streak of making at least the semifinals. The Buford job is one of the highest-paying in the state, offering a six-figure salary.
Mill Creek head coach Shannon Jarvis, who started the program in 2004, resigned last month. He will remain as athletics director.
Charlton County’s Richard McWhorter has taken the Jackson County job. McWhorter was 288-79-2 in Folkston. The Class A school won four state titles under his leadership.
Here is other recent news regarding coaching changes, plus a list of openings.
*Landmark Christian coach Joe Scott has resigned after one season. Scott had been South Paulding’s defensive coordinator. Landmark was 2-8 under Scott, 0-10 the season prior.
*Villa Rica coach Rico Zackery has resigned after two seasons to take a job as defensive assistant at Kennesaw State. Zackery had come from Georgia Southern. His teams were 5-5 each season at Villa Rica.
*Pebblebrook coach Kevin Saunders is the new head coach at Gilmer, which has gone 0-10 each of the past three seasons. Saunders, who won a state title in Virginia before coming to Georgia, was 20-21 at Pebblebrook, which was 9-31 the previous four seasons.
*Rabun County has hired Jaybo Shaw to replace his father, Lee Shaw, who retired. Lee Shaw was 70-17 with five straight region titles at his alma mater. Jaybo Shaw was a former all-state quarterback at Flowery Branch under his father, then a quarterback at Georgia Southern. He was Rabun’s offensive coordinator last season.
*Langston Hughes has promoted defensive backs coach Daniel Williams to replace Willie Cannon, who retired. Cannon started the program in 2009, won region titles in 2012 and 2013 and was 60-49.
*Pickens has promoted defensive coordinator Jeff Nelson to replace Chris Parker, who became the athletics director for Pickens County schools after leading his team to an 11-1 finish. Nelson has been at Pickens for five seasons.
Jobs that have come open and the former coach, with the new coach if hired.
Alcovy: Chris Edgar
Bacon County: Kyle Langford
Bradwell Institute: Ross Couch
Buford: John Ford
Centennial: Michael Perry
Chamblee: Curtis Mattair
Charles Drew: Dorwyn Lyles
Charlton County: Rich McWhorter
Cook: Bobby Jones
East Hall: Scott Patrick (Hired Michael Perry)
East Jackson: Scott Wilkins
Elbert County: Sid Fritts
Fayette County: Mike Davis
George Walton: Don Williams (Hired Shane Davis)
Gilmer: Casey Wingard (Hired Kevin Saunders)
Jackson County: Brandon Worley (Hired Rich McWhorter)
Josey: Marcus Jackson (Hired John Starr)
Landmark Christian: Joe Scott
Langston Hughes: Wille Cannon (Hired Daniel Williams)
Lassister: Jep Irwin
Lithia Springs: Kevin Hill
McDonough: Mo Starr
Mill Creek: Shannon Jarvis
New Manchester: Myron Terry
Newton: Terrance Banks (Hired Camiel Grant)
Pacelli: Mark LeGree
Pebblebrook: Kevin Saunders
Pickens: Chris Parker (Hired Jeff Nelson)
Rabun County: Lee Shaw (Hired Jaybo Shaw)
Randolph Clay: Harvey Smith
River Ridge: Tyler Wynn
Rutland: Mark Daniel
Shiloh: Ryan Andrews
South Effingham: Donnie Revell
Spencer: Justin Newman
Stone Mountain: James Collier
Villa Rica: Rico Zachery
Westside (Augusta): Scott Tate
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