Six new head coaches in the classification took home wins in Week 1:
Rickey Bustle, Athens Christian: The Eagles won their second consecutive season opener over Walker, 35-18, largely on the legs of senior RB Johne’ss Davis. He ran for 251 yards on 17 carries and four touchdowns. Junior QB Navy Curry scored the team’s other touchdown on a 31-yard run. Defensively, sophomore LB James Johnson had 15 tackles, eight solo and one for loss.
Mark Hollars, Commerce: No Browns? No problem for Commerce. Michael Brown left the Tiger program after eight seasons and took his son, sophomore RB/LB Sammy Brown, considered by many to be one of the nation’s top players from the class of 2024, with him. Still, Commerce’s vaunted triple-option offense rolled up 218 yards rushing and the defense held community rival Class 2A Banks County to 189 total yards en route to a 10-0 win for new head coach Mark Hollars, who left North Cobb Christian.
Tim McFarlin, Fellowship Christian: Tim McFarlin is used to winning. So is Fellowship. Looks like a perfect match. McFarlin has 195 wins under his belt in 21 seasons as a head coach: 82 in 10 seasons at Roswell, 112 in 10 seasons at Blessed Trinity, and now 1 at Fellowship, after the Paladins knocked off Christian Heritage in Dalton, 31-21. Fellowship, 52-10 the last five seasons under Al Morrell, was led by Josh Cole rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and had four solo tackles, one for a loss. Caleb McMickle was 10-of-15 passing for 125 yards and a touchdown.
Matt Jones, North Cobb Christian: After just one game leading the Eagles’ program, Matt Jones now has as many wins as he did in two seasons as a head coach in middle Tennessee. Jones went 1-19 starting the program at East Hickman, located about an hour southwest of Nashville. Trey Priester rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns for NCC and Jaden Coates rushed for 51, scored a touchdown and intercepted a pass.
Lamar Landing, Pelham: Five months ago, Pelham’s program looked to be in disarray. First, Dondrail Pinkins, who spent six seasons at Pelham and put up a combined record of 52-15 with three region titles, left to take over at rival Mitchell County, his alma mater. Then the man that was hired to be his replacement, Valdosta offensive coordinator Shawn Sutton, stepped down less than a month after taking the job. But now all is right with the world in Hornet Nation. Not only did Landing win his first game as head coach, he defeated Pinkins and Mitchell County, 25-12, as Zane Touchton, a transfer from Colquitt County, was 19-of-32 passing for 270 yards and a touchdown.
Ty Ward, Savannah Country Day: When Jim Collis stepped down after last season to focus more on his duties as athletic director, he tapped Ty Ward to be his replacement. So far so good. The Hornets’ former offensive coordinator, now head coach, led the team to a 34-14 win over Bulloch Academy, which competes in the highest classification (AAA) of the Georgia Independent Schools Association (GISA). Senior QB Barry Kleinpeter led the way with 91 yards rushing on 12 carries and a touchdown, and two touchdown passes to fellow senior WR/DB Kenny Odom.
