Newton promoted offensive coordinator Josh Skelton to head coach Friday, bringing to 32 the number of offseason GHSA football hires. There have been 67 openings.
Skelton has been on Newton’s staff since 2012. It’s been his only employer since leaving Jacksonville State. The former cornerback also played at Stephenson in DeKalb County.
Newton was 6-5 last season and 21-20 under four full seasons with Camiel Grant.
The biggest coaching news this week was the resignation of Parkview’s Eric Godfree to take another unnamed head-coaching job. Godfree had coached at his alma mater the past nine seasons and won two region titles.
A few other jobs came open or were filled.
Ringgold promoted its offensive coordinator, Austin Crisp, to replace the retiring Robert Akins, who led the program the past 16 seasons.
Liberty County named Tony Glazer its full-time coach. Glazer worked as interim coach last season. The Panthers were 7-5 last season after the death of long-time coach Kirk Warner.
North Springs is open. Jeff Phillips’ teams were 1-9 and 4-6 after an 0-8 finish with another coach in 2020.
Kenderrick Bonner has resigned at Johnson-Savannah. The Atomsmashers were 5-5 last season, their first non-losing season since 2009. Bonner was 17-31 over five seasons after inheriting a program on a 24-game losing streak.
Cedric Jackson won’t return at New Manchester. The Jaguars won their first region title in 2020 under Jackson but were 0-10 in 2022.
These are the offseason openings and hires. They do not include interim coaches made permanent after working the 2022 season.
Allatoona - Gary Varner
Apalachee - Tony Lotti
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
Centennial - Sean O’Sullivan
Central (Carrollton) - Darius Smiley (New coach: Umbrah Brown)
Central (Macon) - Joaquin Sample (New coach: Jarrett Laws)
Central (Talbotton) - Chris Cowart
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
Dacula - Casey Vogt (New coach: Reggie Stancil)
Darlington - Tommy Atha
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
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)
Johnson-Savannah - Kenderrick Bonner
Lowndes - Zach Grage (New coach: Adam Carter)
McEachern - Franklin Stephens
Metter - Rodney Garvin (New coach: Lee Shaw)
M.L. King - Deante Lamar
New Manchester - Cedric Jackson
Newton - Camiel Grant (New coach: Josh Skelton)
North Gwinnett - Bill Stewart
North Springs - Jeff Phillips
Northside-Warner Robins - Chad Alligood (New coach: Ben Bailey)
Paulding County - Umbrah Brown
Parkview - Eric Godfree
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
Seckinger - Aaron Hill (New coach: Tony Lotti)
Shaw - Blair Harrison
Southwest DeKalb - Damien Wimes
Statesboro - Jeff Kaiser
Sumter County - Clifford Fedd
Toombs County - Richie Marsh (New coach: Buddy Martin)
Treutlen - Steve Versprille (New coach: Pat Collins)
Tri-Cities - Cuevas Dargan
Vidalia - Jason Cameron (New coach: Rodney Garvin)
Walker - Tom Evangelista (New coach: T.J. Anderson)
Warner Robins - Marquis Westbrook
Whitefield Academy - Coleman Joiner
Winder-Barrow - Ed Dudley
Woodstock - Troy Hoff
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