For high school football coaches taking over perennial powerhouse programs where the expectations are continued success, the pressure could feel like it’s win-or-die.
When Justin Rogers left Jones County to take the coaching job at Colquitt County in April, he replaced Rush Propst, who was 119-35 in 11 seasons, including back-to-back Class AAAAAAA state titles in 2014 and 2015. The win-or-die mentality took on what seemed like a literal meaning.
“When I first started, I had to find a place to sleep and stay before we moved,” said Rogers of the 136-mile distance between Jones County and Colquitt County. “One of the touchdown club members, Bobby Cobb, owns a funeral home and he let me stay in a room there. I would come in late at night and walk through the parlor and go straight to bed.
“I called my wife and said, ‘It’s getting real. They’ve got me in a funeral home and if I don’t win, they may put me in here for good.’”
Rogers is just one of a number of first-year coaches taking over perennial powers this season. Buford, Calhoun, Cartersville, Charlton County, Clinch County, Colquitt County, Grayson, McEachern and Stockbridge are others.
In the case of Rogers, he was an outsider with no prior connections to Colquitt County. In the case of others, including Bryant Appling at Buford, Clay Stephenson at Calhoun and Miguel Patrick at Cedar Grove, they were long-time assistants who got promoted from within. For each first-year coach taking the reins, the transition is different, but the job for all remains the same — keep winning.
Rogers has Colquitt County (6-1) ranked No. 3 in AAAAAAA, sandwiched between No. 2 McEachern and No. 4 Grayson. Appling has Buford (7-0) ranked No. 1 in AAAAA. Cartersville is No. 2 in AAAA. Cedar Grove is No. 2 in AAA. Clinch County is No. 2 in Class A Public.
Being an outsider had its challenges for Rogers because Propst had no shortage of supporters in Moultrie. Probst was fired in March for multiple ethics violations in a scandal that made national headlines.
“It was definitely a unique situation,” Rogers said. “The biggest thing I have to battle is that I can’t take it personally. There are loyalties, hurt feelings and emotions there, and I have to understand that and remind myself that it isn’t directed at me. When I got here in April, everything was still fresh and there were hard feelings. But the old saying is true — time heals all wounds — and as the community has come to know where my heart is, and who my family is, some momentum toward healing is starting to build.”
Probst advanced the Packers to at least the semifinals nine times, including state championship appearances in four of the last five seasons. Rogers, who was 45-15 in five years at Jones County, knows he has to win. He also knows the program can’t afford another scandal.
“It’s the nature of the beast,” Rogers said. “I don’t shy away from that. The scoreboard is there for a reason, and I get that. But I can’t change the way I go about it. We want to get the outcome with a process that we can be proud of, so we’re going about it the right way with passion, respect and enthusiasm.”
Sometimes even just one loss changes a program’s landscape.
Calhoun (5-1) began the season ranked No. 3 but dropped out of the top 10 after a 31-7 loss to North Murray. That loss ended a run of 139 consecutive region victories that dated to 2001. The region championship streak is in danger of ending at 18. Stephenson is in his first season as head coach after Hal Lamb led the Jackets for 21 seasons, guiding them to state titles in 2011, 2014 and 2017. He had served on Lamb’s staff since 2004.
For Stephenson and the Jackets, the region winning streak that ended wasn’t a dagger.
“The streak was nice,” he said. “It was a great compliment for Calhoun, but as of right now, it’s kind of a relief. We’re going to put that behind us and give ourselves the best opportunity to win every week.”
At Cedar Grove, Patrick replaced Jimmy Smith, who guided the Saints to AAA titles in two of the last three seasons. Patrick, in his 13th year at the school, was promoted from defensive coordinator and left his post as boys basketball coach to take the job. His basketball team finished 20-8 last season and reached the quarterfinals.
The transition could not have been smoother. In some ways, it was made easier when Smith left to become an assistant at Georgia State. During spring football, the schedule was scattered to accommodate Smith’s, who coached track. With him gone, Patrick made a consistent schedule, and spring went more smoothly.
Patrick, whose Saints are 5-2, said he’s not putting any added stress on himself to win.
“There’s not any pressure,” he said. “We have created a solid program here. Even though coach Smith and some of the great players we had are gone, we have an opportunity to step up and continue to the tradition.”
There might not be tougher gig in the state than at Buford, at least in terms of continuing the championship tradition. Between Dexter Wood and Jess Simpson, the Wolves won 10 state titles between 2001-14. Wood won three in a row from 2001-03, and Simpson won four straight (2007-10), then three straight (2012-14).
Appling, who served as a Wolves assistant under both coaches since 2004, was given his chance to guide the team in January after Simpson’s successor, John Ford, lasted two seasons. Ford came to Buford from Roswell, where he compiled a 40-12 record in four seasons and reached the AAAAAAA title game in 2015 and 2016. He went 21-5 with the Wolves and guided them to the semifinals in 2017 and the quarterfinals in 2018. That wasn’t good enough, though, as Buford announced his resignation less than a week after eventual state champions Bainbridge beat the Wolves 23-20 on Nov. 23.
Appling said he can’t worry about meeting a similar fate should the Wolves not win a state title in the very near future.
“I don’t think about that,” he said. “I can’t walk around these halls worried about losing a game, or my job. If I do, then I will lose. I just have to make sure the kids are acting right, that we’re taking care of the locker room. I’ve learned over time that wins take care of themselves if you do that.”
