Class A coaching hires: Bowdon, Clinch County start new eras

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

• Number of hires: 20
• Best hire: Jamie Abrams, Bowdon
• Hardest to replace: Rich Fendley, Bowdon
• Best job: Clinch County
• Toughest job: Twiggs County
• Most interesting: Bowdon and Clinch County replaced coaches (Rich Fendley and Jim Dickerson, respectively) with a combined nine state titles, but as far as things you don’t see every offseason, Greene County won out with its novel approach to hiring a coach. The northwest Georgia school named two finalists — Rome assistant Chris MacFarland and former Warren County coach Steve Simpson — and invited them to 15-minute auditions before a public audience. Each took questions about their visions for the program. MacFarland got the job. He was a head coach in his native Ohio for nine years before joining Rome’s staff in 2018.

Region 1

Calhoun County hired Bradwell Institute coach Deshon Brock to replace Marquil Middleton. Brock, a Louisiana native, was head coach at Bradwell for five seasons and Mitchell County the four seasons prior. He was 33-11 with two region titles at Mitchell County, a Class A school. Calhoun County has not played a region schedule since 2019.

Early County promoted defensive backs and special teams coach and alumnus Laversay Taylor to replace Frank Killingsworth, who is now offensive line coach at Ashford in Alabama. Taylor joined Early County’s staff in 2020 as his first high school coaching job. Early County reached the Class A Division II semifinals last season, its fourth straight that ended in a region title.

Pataula Charter hired weight-training instructor Jackie Duke to replace T.J. Brown. Duke came to Pataula Charter in 2024 after retiring from full-time teaching. Duke has coached or worked at Seminole County, Early County, Terrell County, Pelham and Lee County Schools. Pataula has had 10 coaches since starting varsity football in 2016 and never played a region schedule. The team was 3-5 last season.

Southwest Georgia STEM hired Terrell County assistant Harvey Smith to replace Jay Tully. Smith started coaching in 2009 at alma mater Randolph-Clay and was head coach there in 2017 and 2018. He’s been on staffs at Pataula Charter, Miller County and Stewart County before going to Terrell in 2025. Southwest Georgia STEM is a Randolph County school in its fourth football season and will play a non-region schedule.

Terrell County hired Merry Acres Middle School multisport coach Art Anderson to replace Marco Kirk. Anderson also coached at Westover, a Dougherty County school, while at Merry Acres. He was on alma mater Cairo’s staff for six seasons. Terrell County was 1-8 in Kirk’s only season.

Region 2

Charlton County hired Taylor County coach Brandon Byram to replace DeMario Jones, who is now Camden County’s assistant head coach and defensive line coach. Byram’s Taylor County teams were 20-21 in four years, improving its region or overall record each season. Byram was Cairo’s quarterbacks coach when Taylor County hired him. Byram also has coached at Spalding, Griffin and Lovejoy across a 13-year career. Charlton County was 11-12 in Jones’ two seasons.

Clinch County hired assistant principal Rance Morgan to replace Jim Dickerson, who is now retired. Morgan is a Clinch County graduate and longtime Panthers coach, though he has not been on the football staff since he was offensive coordinator in 2019. He will remain assistant principal, a role he has held since 2020. He was offensive coordinator briefly at Lanier County. Morgan played on state-winning Clinch County teams in football (2002) and baseball (2003) and made all-state in both sports before playing baseball at Valdosta State. Clinch County was 13-1 and reached the Class A Division II semifinals last season. In two stints, Dickerson was 176-47-1 with five state titles.

Irwin County hired Coffee offensive line coach Beau Johnson to replace Larry Harold, who is now head coach at Bogalusa in Louisiana. Johnson joined Coffee’s staff in 2022 and was part of the 2023 state championship team. He was head coach at Blountstown in Florida from 2017 to 2021, compiled a 34-10 record and reached the 2019 Class 1A championship game. He is a Baker County native and Westwood graduate who has worked at eight GISA schools, four as head coach (Piedmont, Edmund Burke, David Emanuel and Fullington academies). Irwin County was 1-9 in Harold’s lone season, ending the school’s streak of 12 Class A quarterfinal or better appearances.

Lanier County hired Gordon Central coach Marcus Gowan to replace David Dean, who is now Delta State University’s coach. Gowan’s lone Gordon Central team was 7-4, a three-win improvement at a program that ended a 31-game losing streak the season prior. Gowan was on Valdosta’s staff the previous four seasons and was co-offensive coordinator. He has worked on staffs at Crisp County in Georgia and Lake Gibson, Plant City and Leon in Florida. Lanier County was 3-18 in Dean’s two seasons.

Mitchell County hired Montgomery County coach Kaream Hess to replace Dondrial Pinkins, who is now Jasper County’s coach. Hess went 4-16 in two seasons at Montgomery County, a program that was 0-10 the season before hiring him. Hess was Turner County’s offensive coordinator before that and has been on staffs at Lincoln University and Albany State. He is a former Tift County and Albany State running back in his 12th year of coaching. Mitchell County was 26-26 the past five seasons under Pinkins and 5-5 in 2025.

Scintilla Charter promoted Antwon Kincade to replace Jamie Thompson. Kincade, a starting safety on Valdosta’s 2016 state championship team, played five seasons at Western Kentucky and two in an indoor football league. Scintilla Charter is an independent public school in Valdosta. It is scheduled to play two varsity games this season.

Region 3

Montgomery County hired West Laurens offensive coordinator Gabe Gay, an alumnus, to replace Kaream Hess, who is now Mitchell County’s coach. Gay is a former Montgomery County guard who served as offensive coordinator at his alma mater from 2019 until going to West Laurens in 2022. He has also coached at Jeff Davis (2017-18) and East Laurens (2010-16). Montgomery County was 4-16 in Hess’s two seasons.

Region 4

None.

Region 5

Twiggs County hired 20-year Georgia coach Ashley Harden to replace Roderick Cummings, who is now the coach at Southwest. Harden most recently was coaching track and field at Hancock Central. He is best known for head coaching stints at Butler (2009-11), Jenkins County (2012-13), Twiggs County (2015-16), Northeast (2017), Stewart County (2018) and Dooly County (2019). Twiggs County has won six games since 2016, when Harden, in his final season, led the Cobras to an 8-4 finish. Twiggs County was 0-10 last season.

Wilkinson County hired Stone Mountain assistant Mack McCord to replace Jamoski Ward, who is now coach at Central of Macon. McCord is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq two years and worked in finance and insurance until entering coaching full-time in 2018 at age 47 at alma mater Dade County. He also coached at McIntosh County Academy, Ridgeland, Forth Central and Johnson of Gainesville before going to Stone Mountain for a season. Wilkinson County was 10-12 in Ward’s two seasons, 4-7 in 2025.

Region 6

Crawford County hired Tattnall County defensive coordinator Matt Wilson to replace Dusty Jump, who returned to Macon County as defensive coordinator. Wilson, an Americus native, was at Tattnall for one season. He was at Bacon County in 2022-24 and 2014-15, the most recent as offensive coordinator. He also assisted at Taylor County (2016-22 as defensive coordinator) and Bryan County (2012-13). Crawford County was 10-21 in Jump’s three seasons and 4-6 in 2025.

Macon County hired Westside of Macon coach Sheddrick “Spoon” Risper to replace Kurt Williams, who is now athletic director at Feagin Mill Middle in Warner Robins. Risper was Westside’s coach for 17 seasons. His record was 119-72, making him the winningest coach in Macon public schools since integration. Macon County was 12-11 in Williams’ two seasons with a 2024 region title.

Taylor County promoted defensive coordinator Jess DeVoursney to replace Brandon Byram, who is now Charlton County’s coach. DeVoursney is a former Pike County and LaGrange linebacker. He joined Taylor County’s staff in 2022. DeVoursney worked under his father, current Veterans coach Steve Devoursney, from 2015 to 2021 at Cairo. Taylor County was 22-21 in Byram’s four seasons and 7-4 in 2025.

Region 7

Bowdon promoted defensive coordinator Jamie Abrams to replace Rich Fendley, who is now Rockmart’s coach. Abrams joined Bowdon’s staff last season. He was Cedartown coach the previous five seasons and was let go despite a 50-12 record and three region titles. He was 15-7-1 in two seasons at Lamar County. Abrams was head coach at Wadley of Alabama in 2010. He’s worked on staffs at Dublin, South Paulding, East Paulding, Woodland of Alabama and Minnesota State University. Bowdon won Class A Division II the past four seasons.

Region 8

Greene County hired Rome linebackers coach Chris MacFarland to replace Darius Robinson. MacFarland came to Rome in 2018 after serving as head coach at Norwalk in his native Ohio. He inherited a winless team, went 47-46 over nine seasons and achieved the school’s first winning season and playoff victory in more than 30 years. MacFarland also has coached in South Carolina and North Carolina. Greene County was 2-9 in Robinson’s lone season. The GBI in December charged Robinson with aggravated assault and simple battery for alleged incidents involving his players.