South Georgia football coach resigns after one season
Irwin County football coach Larry Harold has resigned after one season, he confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday.
The coaching change follows a 1-9 season for the Indians, which had 13 consecutive winning seasons before 2025, including eight region championships and two state titles. Irwin County reached the state semifinals in 2024 and finished with a 12-2 record before Harold was hired.
Harold entered a difficult situation after Irwin County graduated 11 of its 15 all-region players in 2024. The veteran head coach also brought a new offensive scheme to Irwin County, which he said caused many of the struggles this year.
Irwin County has dominated in years past with a physical Wing-T offense. Harold brought a spread offense to the program, a stark difference in scheme that he knew would take time to implement.
The Indians were shut out in three of their first five games. They averaged just 10.1 points per game this season.
“The biggest thing is patience. I preach it to my touchdown club meeting,” Harold told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in October. “When I interviewed for the job with the board, I gave them a five-year plan, not a two-year plan. Most people in our microwave society don’t want to wait that long, but just like I told our coaches about two or three weeks ago, you can’t skip steps.”
Harold brought 10 years of head coaching experience into the Irwin County job. He spent the previous three seasons before taking the Irwin County job coaching Central Gwinnett. The Black Knights, surrounded by Gwinnett County powerhouses like Collins Hill, Buford and Mill Creek, went 12-18 under Harold.
Harold started his head coaching career at Macon County — where he won a region title in 2014 with the help of three-time Pro Bowl selection Roquan Smith — before he took over at Brunswick. His love for South Georgia football attracted him to the Irwin County job.
“(Georgia coach) Kirby Smart says pressure is a privilege, and that’s why I wanted to come back to South Georgia, because football means so much to this community,” Harold said. “In the offseason, they’re going to come to the weight room, they’re going to come to spring practice, they’re going to always be talking about football, and that means a lot to me.”
Irwin County missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011. The school is replacing a first-year head coach for the first time since 2000, when Tommy Dopson’s team went 6-6 and was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
About the Author
Jack Leo is a sports writer and reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jack worked for the AJC throughout his four years studying journalism and sports media at Georgia State University and the University of Georgia. He's now focused on telling stories in the grassroots: bringing comprehensive coverage of high school sports for AJC Varsity.
