Warner Robins named Rome offensive coordinator Shane Sams as football coach Tuesday, bringing to 45 the number of GHSA offseason hires. There have been 76 openings.
Sams is a former Warner Robins quarterback who was the Demons’ offensive coordinator during state runner-up appearances in 2017 and 2018. That’s when Warner re-emerged as a state power with record-setting offenses led by quarterback Dylan Fromm.
Sams left Warner Robins to become Centennial’s coach in Fulton County for one winless season, then returned to his hometown to join rival Northside’s staff in 2020. Sams has been Rome’s offensive coordinator the past two seasons. Rome was 12-2 and averaged 36.9 points per game in 2022.
Sams, a 2008 Warner Robins graduate, would replace Marquis Westbrook, who won two state titles in his four seasons. Westbrook left for Peach County last month.
Several other schools have made coaching changes in recent days.
On Tuesday, Apalachee promoted defensive coordinator Mike Hancock to replace Tony Lotti, who became head coach at Seckinger in Gwinnett County.
On Monday, Sandy Creek’s Brett Garvin filed his retirement papers after leading the Patriots to the Class 3A championship. Garvin coached at Sandy Creek for 22 seasons, the past six as head coach.
Johns Creek has hired Cambridge defensive coordinator Jim Rowell to replace Drew Connell. The Gladiators were 2-8 in Connell’s lone season.
Statesboro has hired North Forsyth offensive coordinator Matt Dobson to replace six-year coach Jeff Kaiser. Statesboro has not had a winning season since 2013.
Paulding County has hired South Paulding coach Eric “Sumo” Robinson to replace Umbrah Brown, who left to become coach at Central in Carroll County.
Salem has hired Pebblebrook coach Leroy Hood to replace Jarrett Laws, who took the Central-Macon job.
Efrem Hill has stepped won at Discovery and is expected to take another job in the Gwinnett County school system.
Here are the 75 openings with the former coaches with new coaches included if hired. Interim coaches from 2022 who were hired full-time, such as Cairo’s David Coleman and Liberty County’s Tony Glazer are not included.
School - Former coach (New coach if hired)
Alexander - Olten Downs
Allatoona - Gary Varner
Apalachee - Tony Lotti (New coach: Mike Hancock)
Armuchee - Jeremy Green (New coach: Eric Belew)
Berkmar - Cole Meyer
Blessed Trinity - Tom Hall (New coach: Ed Dudley)
Burke County - Eric Parker (New coach: Franklin Stephens)
Campbell - Howie Decristofaro (New coach: Jeff Phillips)
Centennial - Sean O’Sullivan
Central (Carrollton) - Darius Smiley (New coach: Umbrah Brown)
Central (Macon) - Joaquin Sample (New coach: Jarrett Laws)
Central (Talbotton) - Chris Cowart (New coach: Andrew Hall)
Chattahoochee - Mike Malone (New coach: Danny Carlisle)
Chattahoochee County - Ryan McKenzie (New coach: Josh Jacobson)
Chattooga - Shawn Peek (New coach: Roone Gable)
Chestatee - Shaun Conley (New coach: Stuart Cunningham)
Clarkston - Terrance Hughey
Coahulla Creek - Danny Wilson (New coach: Drew Carter)
Collins Hill - Lenny Gregory (New coach: Drew Swick)
Dacula - Casey Vogt (New coach: Reggie Stancil)
Darlington - Tommy Atha
Discovery - Efrem Hill
Dodge County - Ray Hardin
Eagle’s Landing - Markus Brown
Early County - Joel Harvin
Fellowship Christian - Tim McFarlin (New coach: John Thompson)
Forsyth Central - David Rooney (New coach: Chad Pickett)
Franklin County - Parker Martin (New coach: Chuck Holland)
GMC Prep - Lee Coleman
Gordon Central - T.J. Hamilton (New coach: Lenny Gregory)
Grayson - Adam Carter (New coach: Santavious Bryant)
Griffin - Rusty Easom (New coach: Clifford Fedd)
Hawkinsville - Shane Williamson
Jackson - Dary Myricks
Jackson County - Rich McWhorter (New coach: Korey Mobbs)
Jefferson County - J.B. Arnold (New coach: Mario East)
Johns Creek - Drew Connell (New coach: Jim Rowell)
Johnson (Savannah) - Kenderrick Bonner
Lowndes - Zach Grage (New coach: Adam Carter)
M.L. King - Deante Lamar (New coach: Joel Kight)
McEachern - Franklin Stephens
Metter - Rodney Garvin (New coach: Lee Shaw)
New Manchester - Cedric Jackson
Newton - Camiel Grant (New coach: Josh Skelton)
North Gwinnett - Bill Stewart (New coach: Eric Godfree)
North Springs - Jeff Phillips
Northside (Warner Robins) - Chad Alligood (New coach: Ben Bailey)
Parkview - Eric Godfree
Paulding County - Umbrah Brown (New coach: Sumo Robinson)
Peach County - Chad Campbell (New coach: Marquis Westbrook)
Pebblebrook - Leroy Hood
Pope - Tab Griffin (New coach: Sean O’Sullivan)
Putnam County - Shaun Pope (New coach: Joel Harvin)
Redan - Derek Vaughn (New coach: Damien Wimes)
Ringgold - Robert Akins (New coach: Austin Crisp)
Rockdale County - Lee Hannah
Salem - Jarrett Laws (New coach: Leroy Hood)
Sandy Creek - Brett Garvin
Savannah - Michael Moore
Seckinger - Aaron Hill (New coach: Tony Lotti)
Shaw - Blair Harrison (New coach: Johnny Garner)
South Paulding - Eric “Sumo” Robinson
Southwest DeKalb - Damien Wimes
Statesboro - Jeff Kaiser (New coach: Matt Dobson)
Sumter County - Clifford Fedd
Toombs County - Richie Marsh (New coach: Buddy Martin)
Treutlen - Steve Versprille (New coach: Pat Collins)
Tri-Cities - Cuevas Dargan
Twiggs County - Irade Perry
Vidalia - Jason Cameron (New coach: Rodney Garvin)
Walker - Tom Evangelista (New coach: T.J. Anderson)
Warner Robins - Marquis Westbrook (New coach: Shane Sams)
Whitefield Academy - Coleman Joiner (New coach: Robert Walsh)
Winder-Barrow - Ed Dudley
Woodstock - Troy Hoff
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