GHSF Daily's weekly Player of the Year Watch traditionally appears on Wednesdays and features the top 10 candidates for the annual all-classification award.
This week, GHSF Daily is taking a look at some of the leading candidates for Coach of the Year in each class. Fourteen of the 35 coaches featured are in the first or second seasons at their schools, a testament to the turnaround potential for any program that makes the right pick as its head coach.
The POY Watch will return next Wednesday and appear for the final time this season.
Class AAAAAAA
*Eric Godfree, Parkview: With another victory, the third-ranked Panthers will be 10-0 for the first time since 2002, and their victory total will have improved in all five of Godfree's seasons at his alma mater - from 3-7 before he arrived to 4-6, 6-5, 8-4, 9-4 and now potentially 10-0. This year's region title is the program's first since 2004.
*Frank Hepler, Forsyth Central: Winless in 2017, the Bulldogs are 6-3 and playoff-bound for the first time since 2001 in Hepler's third season back in Forsyth County.
*Phillip Ironside, Hillgrove: Unranked in preseason and thought to be rebuilding, the fourth-ranked Hawks have repeated as Region 3 champions and are one victory from their first 10-0 regular season since 2011. Ironside is 99-41 at Hillgrove, a program he started in 2006.
*Matt Kemper, Roswell: After a humbling 3-8 first season at Roswell, Kemper has gotten the Hornets on track with victories over arch-rival Milton and defending Region 4 champion Walton and claimed a region championship and a top-10 ranking.
*Rush Propst, Colquitt County: The Packers are in the top 10 of at least five national polls, and some believe this could be Colquitt's most complete team ever. The Packers were 15-0 in 2014 and 2015.
Class AAAAAA
*Adam Carter, Creekview: The former Valdosta defensive coordinator, in his first season at Creekview, Carter has the Grizzlies at 9-0 and No. 2 in the class, the highest ranking ever for a Cherokee County team.
*Matt Dickmann, Harrison: The Hoyas were 9-4 last season but graduated a five-star quarterback, Justin Fields, who was accounting for more than 70 percent of his team's total offense. Harrison (8-1) is ranked sixth and can finish tied for first in Region 6 with a victory over No. 2 Creekview on Friday.
*Maurice Dixon, Creekside: In his second year at his alma mater, Dixon has the Seminoles on the brink of the Region 5 title. Creekside would be the first team since Adairsville in 2000, and sixth in history, to win a region title after a winless season.
*Dean Fabrizio, Lee County: Lee County lost significant talent off its 2017 state-championship team, including Otis Reese to Georgia, but the current team is playing even better, having allowed only 30 points total in nine games. Lee is winning by an average score of 43-3 while playing in the class's toughest region.
*Matt Helmerich, Johns Creek: Similar to Roswell's Kemper, his predecessor, Helmerich had a tough first season, a 3-7 finish after the ninth-ranked Gladiators won a region title in 2016. But Johns Creek is back in the winner's circle of Region 7 and, according to the Maxwell Ratings, is 12.8 points better than projected in preseason, highest improvement in the class.
Class AAAAA
*Mario Allen, Banneker: In his second season, Allen has delivered Banneker's first region title in the south Fulton County program's 31-year history. Banneker finished 0-10 as recently as 2014 and 2015.
*Clifford Fedd, Dutchtown: In Fedd's second season as a head coach, the Bulldogs are 17.1 points better than projected, per the Maxwell Ratings, the highest in AAAAA. They are 9-0 and region champions for the first time in history. They have the No. 1-rated scoring defense in the class.
*John Reid, Rome: The Wolves are cruising toward a potential third consecutive state title, having won 37 straight games. That's despite graduating four Division I starters off the defense.
*Milan Turner, Veterans: Turner, who won a state title at Emanuel County Institute in 2007, became a head coach again this season. His Warhawks are 8-1 and 16.8 points better than projected. They can win Region 1 with a victory over No. 3 Warner Robins on Friday.
*Damien Wimes, Southwest DeKalb: In his second year with his alma mater, Wimes has achieved for Southwest DeKalb its first region title since 2009 and first 9-0 start since 1999.
Class AAAA
*Tyler Aurandt, North Oconee: Aurandt, who had been Parkview's offensive coordinator, inherited a team that had gone 0-10 in 2016. In the coach's second season, the Titans are 8-2 and seeded No. 2 out of Region 8 and preparing for their first home playoff game since 2014.
*Terry Crowder, Denmark: The Danes are 5-4 in their first season despite starting 17 sophomores. Although it might require an upset of Flowery Branch this week, Denmark can become the first first-year program to make the playoffs since Chattahoochee County in 2006 and already is assured of being the first to go .500 or better while playing a region schedule since Rutland in 2003.
*Tanner Glisson, Troup: The third-ranked Tigers can win their first region title since 1987 and complete their first 10-0 regular season in the program's 63-year history with a win Friday over No. 5 Cartersville.
*Brian Nelson, Mary Persons: Nelson has won three region titles, averaged 10.3 wins and made consecutive semifinal appearances in his seven seasons. But this has quietly been his most dominant team. Ranked No. 2 (and No. 1 by the Maxwell Ratings), the Bulldogs haven't won a game by fewer than 14 points.
*Chris Parker, Pickens: The Dragons won Region 6, their first championship in program history, which dates to 1957. Currently No. 8, Pickens is ranked for only the second time in history and is 14.8 points better this season than projected.
Class AAA
*Bo Campbell, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe: The Warriors (7-2) have clinched their first winning season since 2012 and playoff berth since 2009.
*Brad Harber, Crisp County: The team's quarterback and two Division I recruits transferred just weeks before the season opener, but Harber's team can win its third straight Region 1 title with a victory Friday against Monroe.
*Scott Peavey, Haralson County: The Rebels are 7-2, assured of their first winning season since 2007, in Peavey's second season. They are 19.7 points better than projected, according to the Maxwell Ratings.
*Kevin Reach, Monroe Area: Hired away from Collins Hill in 2017, Reach is 19-2 at a program that was 7-24 the previous three seasons. Monroe Area, ranked No. 3, is 9-0 this season and a region champion for the first time since 2013.
*Jason Strickland, Pierce County: Strickland, who led Fitzgerald to Class AA finals in 2015 and 2016, came to Pierce in 2017. He's one victory from the Bears' first 10-0 regular season since 1982.
Class AA
*William Harrell, Hephzibah: Dropping two classes into AA helped, but the Rebels are 13.9 points better than in 2017, per Maxwell, and the two factors have conspired to bring about an 8-2 regular season, best for the Augusta-area school in its 65 years of varsity football.
*Joel Harvin, Early County: The Bobcats are 6-3 after a 2-8 finish in 2017 and 17.1 points better than projected. Remember that the county was ravaged by Hurricane Michael, leaving many players without power for 12 days, limiting practices and postponing two games.
*Roger Holmes, Dublin: The Irish are the most surprisingly good team in AA, according to Maxwell, at 19.9 points better than expected and No. 2 overall in the class, much higher than the human polls have them. Dublin (8-1) can win Region 3 with a win Friday at Washington County.
*Biff Parson, Rockmart: Rockmart, at No. 2, has its highest ranking since 1989, also the last time the team went 10-0. Parson is 25-4 in three seasons. The program was 8-22 in the previous three seasons.
*Scott Roberts, Swainsboro: Roberts got the Tigers their first winning season since 2010 last year, in his first season. Now, the team is back in the playoffs and won its first region title since 2010.
Class A
*Josh Alexander, Athens Academy: The Spartans are 40-6 in Alexander's four seasons. They were 4-5 the season before he arrived. Athens Academy is currently 9-0 and No. 2 in the private-school rankings, with consecutive wins over arch-rival Prince Avenue Christian.
*Nicholas Garrett, Riverside Military Academy: Garrett was coaching in his native California when he took over Riverside in 2017, at which point the Eagles hadn't had a winning season since 2008. They're 5-4 now and recently beat Commerce, their first win over a top-10 GHSA opponent in history.
*Mark Hollars, North Cobb Christian: The Eagles are 8-1 just two seasons removed from an 0-10 finish. The program's all-time record was 22-76. North Cobb Christian is ranked, at No. 10, and headed to the playoffs for the first times. They are 26.8 points better than projected by the Maxwell Ratings, the best gain for a team in any classification.
*Buddy Nobles, Irwin County: After runner-up state finishes in 2014, 2015 and 2017, Irwin County is 9-0 and ranked No. 1 in the public-school division. Irwin defeated defending champ Clinch County 21-3 last month.
*Dondrial Pinkins, Pelham: Pelham fielded football teams as far back as the 1920s. The Hornets have their highest state ranking (No. 3) since 1982 and are closing in on their first 10-0 regular season ever, but must beat Pinkins' alma mater, Mitchell County, this week to do it.
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