Former UGA All-American bringing physicality to new job as high school DC

If Greg Blue hits half as hard as Dalton’s new defensive coordinator as he did as a safety at UGA, the Catamounts could be in for a strong improvement in 2026.

Dalton announced it hired Blue to lead its defense in Year 2 under coach Chris Prewett. The former consensus All-American made a name as a punishing safety on Georgia’s 2005 SEC championship team.

“I know one thing they’re going to see is guys are going to run around and guys are going to hit people. That’s one thing I’m going to bring,” Blue said. “That’s just my personality, you know, that’s my heart, and if we aren’t running around hitting, we’re going to be in trouble.

“And the kids understand that’s just the only choice right there. Run around and hit, or we’re going to find somebody else to do it.”

Blue just finished his second year coaching at the high school level, but he’s not new to coaching. He spent 12 years in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, nine of which were spent as Reinhardt’s defensive coordinator.

Blue spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Fayette County before Prewett called with the Dalton job.

Prewett has been a defensive coach for his entire career, including his five seasons as Roswell’s head coach from 2020 to 2024. The Hornets averaged 19.8 points per game, won two region titles and made the state semifinals in 2023.

But Dalton struggled more defensively in Prewett’s first season last year. The Catamounts improved from 0-10 in 2024 to 3-8, but they gave up nearly 43.8 points per game. Dalton faced some of the top offenses in Class 4A in North Oconee, Cartersville, Cass and Creekside.

Prewett, in the midst of trying to revive a struggling football program, knew he needed more help on defense.

“Really kind of starting it fresh was probably the first year that I kind of looked at it at the end of the year and said, ‘I think this is time to find a guy that I can hand over the defense to and really act as more of a CEO-type head coach instead of being involved on one side of the ball,’” Prewett said. “And it was definitely something that over the year, it kind of grew and grew and grew.”

Prewett said Blue’s personality and scheme made him a natural fit at Dalton, citing his passion, energy and football knowledge.

Prewett, 35, likes having fellow young coaches on staff that can physically prove themselves.

“I have always felt one of the biggest values and one of the biggest connections that I had growing up and coaching was that if I’m going to ask a player to do something, that I need to be able to do it,” Prewett said. “And I need our coaches to be able to do the same thing.”

Blue can still move, but his film from playing at UGA moves his players the most.

“It’s crazy how, when the kids see my background and they see the videos, they want to listen to me,” Blue said. “It’s like, ‘Man, I can’t not listen to him. I just saw his film.’ They saw the evidence.”

Prewett also knows Blue can help players as they chase college scholarships and navigate recruiting. He’s played at college football’s highest level, but he also has over a decade of experience coaching smaller schools.

“Bringing a guy that’s been at that step as far as coaching, or bringing another coach that’s been on our staff that’s played at the next level and has had some experience outside of Dalton was definitely a huge interest for me,” Prewett said. “He’s definitely got all the tools and everything like that to help our guys move to that next level.”