Class 7A new coaches: Pruitt takes on the high class at Camden County

Ahead of the 2026 football season, AJC Varsity is previewing all of the coaching changes. Today is 7A.

• Number of hires: 7
• Best hire: Kevin Whitley, Westlake
• Hardest to replace: Kevin Whitley, Northgate
• Best job: Camden County
• Toughest job: Discovery
• Most interesting: Tucker Pruitt, best known for winning a historic state championship at alma mater Fitzgerald in 2021, is now coach at Camden County and making his first foray into the highest classification. Pruitt has a 90-31 career record and led Fitzgerald to its first state title in 73 years. He spent last season at Appling County and went 8-4. Those achievements came in smaller classifications while employing run-based wing-T and single-wing offenses. Coincidentally, Camden County is the most recent school in the highest class to win a state title with such an offense, in 2009, and got to the semifinals in 2023 in retired coach Jeff Herron’s wing-T package. Pruitt plans to use what he calls a hybrid offense that uses wing T, single wing and spread concepts. “We are new and still trying to evaluate the players and do what fits them the best,” he told GHSF Daily in July. “But we will be multiple and use a lot of different personnel and groupings and formats.” Pruitt’s best-known player, Sean Green, is a wide receiver committed to Florida State.

Region 1

Camden County hired Appling County coach Tucker Pruitt to replace Travis Roland, who is now Wheeler’s coach. Pruitt was head coach for eight seasons at Fitzgerald, where he had a 82-27 record with a 2021 Class 2A championship. He was 8-4 with a region championship in his lone Appling County season. Camden originally hired Jon Lindsey, a popular former assistant coach, but Lindsey resigned in December after about six weeks on the job and will be teaching at the school this year. Camden County was 7-4 and 6-4 in Roland’s two seasons.

Region 2

Northgate hired Callaway defensive coordinator Casey Smith to replace Kevin Whitley, who is now Westlake’s coach. Smith, a 25-year coach who spent his first nine seasons on Northgate’s staff, was at Callaway the past two seasons. He was Union Grove’s head coach the four seasons prior (17-25 record). Smith was on Sandy Creek’s staff during state-championship seasons of 2010 and 2012. He’s also assisted at Temple, Bowdon and Villa Rica. He’s a Heard County graduate. Northgate was 2-8 and 8-3 under Whitley. Northgate originally hired Kell co-offensive coordinator Chaz Ferdinand in February, but Ferdinand resigned in March. Ferdinand is now Lovejoy’s offensive coordinator.

Westlake hired Northgate coach Kevin Whitley to replace Morris Mitchell, who is now defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Northside of Warner Robins. Whitley improved Northgate to 8-3 from 2-8 last season. Whitley is best known in high school coaching for his stints at Stockbridge (99-28 record in 2009-18) and Creekside (52-16 record in 2004-08). The AJC rated his move to Stockbridge as the ninth-best GHSA hire this century. Whitley was on alma mater Georgia Southern’s staff from 2019 to 2023 and briefly its interim head coach. Westlake was 5-6 and 4-7 under Morris, the program’s only losing seasons since 2013.

Region 3

None.

Region 4

Grayson promoted defensive coordinator Greg Carswell to replace Santavious Bryant, who is now Gainesville’s coach. Carswell has been on Grayson’s staff for the past three seasons and at Gainesville, Colquitt County and Warner Robins before that. He’s won seven region titles and reached three state finals (2024 Grayson, 2022 Gainesville, 2017 Warner Robins) in his nine seasons as a coach. He’s a former Warner Robins and Shorter nose tackle. Bryant’s Grayson teams were 37-5 in his three seasons with a 2024 Class 6A title.