AJC Varsity, GHSF Daily honor 9 football coaches for program elevation
AJC Varsity and Georgia High School Football Daily honored nine football coaches in Macon on Tuesday as winners of the 2025 season Improvement Tracker Awards.
The Improvement Tracker, sponsored by Formetco, was a weekly GHSF Daily feature during the season. It ranked the top five teams and their head coaches in each classification based on their improvement in the computer Maxwell Ratings, but with some exclusions.
Only teams with winning records were listed. In the end, each team and coach also had to make the playoffs, finish top four in their region and improve playoff seeding or state playoff finish from the previous year to qualify.
The awards were presented as part of the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association luncheon. The GACA also recognized coaches from region and state champions.
Here the Improvement Tracker winners and their accomplishments.
- 6A — Shelton Felton, Valdosta
- First region title since 2016
- First semifinal in the highest class since 2003
- Improved record to 12-2 from 9-3 (4-6 in 2021)
- Victory over archrival Lowndes
- 5A — Korey Mobbs, Jackson County
- First playoff victory (opened 1980)
- First 10-win season
- First region title
- First victory over a top-10 opponent (Milton)
- 4A — Kevin Barnes, Lithonia
- First playoff victory since 1994
- First 10-win season since 1982
- First quarterfinal appearance since 1994
- First victory over DeKalb County rival Tucker since 1992 (0-12)
- 3A — Cap Burnett, North Clayton
- First winning season since 2016
- First playoff appearance since 2017
- First victory over a top 10 team since 2009 (Stephenson)
- Atlanta Falcons coach of the year
- 2A — Chuck Holland, Franklin County
- First winning season since 2020
- First playoff victory since 2020
- Averaged school-record 31 points per game in 2025
- 1-9 to 3-7 to 7-4 improvement since inheriting 0-10 team
- A D-I — Randy Crutchfield, Haralson County
- Improved record to 7-4 from 1-9
- Improved points scored to 347 from 107
- First winning season since 2021
- First playoff appearance since 2021
- A D-II — Ron Duncan, Screven County
- Improved record to 12-1 from 4-6
- Improved scoring to 413 points from 151
- First 12-win season since 2002
- First region title, quarterfinal finish since 2017
- 3A-A Private — Tommy Lewis, Landmark Christian
- Best record (9-3) since 2016
- First playoff victory since 2016
- Improved record from 0-10 to 7-4 to 9-3
- Past two seasons: 16-7; previous seven: 13-60
- GIAA — J.T. Wall, John Milledge Academy
- Improved record to 11-1 from 2-9
- Improved scoring to 461 points from 194
- Improved points allowed to 151 from 379
- Won school’s sixth state title
About the Author
Todd Holcomb covers high school sports across the state. He rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025 and has worked with the AJC in varying capacities since 1985. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
