Chattahoochee County football coach Mike Nash dies
Chattahoochee County football coach Mike Nash died Friday night after an emergency surgery in his battle against liver failure, according to a Facebook post by Dunwoody football, Nash’s former team.
Chattahoochee County also posted the news Saturday, saying, “Coach Nash was a passionate leader, a caring mentor and a true believer in the power of F.A.M.I.L.Y. — Forget about me. I love you. His legacy of love, teamwork, and one heartbeat will forever remain with us.”
Nash, 51, was Dunwoody’s head coach from 2015 to 2024 and took the Chattahoochee County job in February. Chattahoochee County beat Central of Talbotton 55-6 on Friday night and is 3-4 on the season.
Dunwoody’s Facebook post read: “Coach Nash dedicated over 10 years as the head football coach, building not only a program but a family. A proud graduate of Shiloh High School in Atlanta, he returned to serve on staff at his alma mater before becoming our leader. His guiding principle was always F.A.M.I.L.Y., a word he lived by and instilled in everyone around him.
“His legacy as a mentor, leader, and friend will continue to live on in the lives of the countless players and families he impacted. Coach Nash, we love you.”
Nash’s Dunwoody teams were not big winners on the field, compiling a 34-66 record, but Nash was popular at the school and in the community.
In March, after he’d announced his planned move to Chattahoochee County, the Dunwoody Homeowners Association named Nash the marshal for the Dunwoody Fourth of July Parade.
In a 2023 interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nash discussed his coaching philosophy.
“If that same kid knows 100% that you truly love him and care about him, he will do it over and over until he gets it right,” Nash said. “That honestly is how I hire coaches. They have to have a good knowledge of football, but more importantly, they have to be the right men. My final interview question before I hire someone is ‘Can you love our kids and put their interest above your own?’ That is not enough for some, but for me that is the most important thing.”
Nash is a Gwinnett County native and Shiloh High graduate who was an assistant coach at his alma mater when Dunwoody hired him. He also coached briefly at North Gwinnett.
About the Author
Todd Holcomb has been a contributor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1985. He is currently co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
