Washington hires football, boys basketball coaches
Atlanta’s Washington High looked into its past to hire football and boys basketball head coaches Thursday afternoon.
Lawrence Smith, a Washington alumnus and former NFL player, will take over a football program that is coming off a 2-8 season.
William Faulkner, who led Washington’s boys basketball team to the Class 3A semifinals in 2012, will take over his former team. The basketball team was 4-21 last season.
Smith was Crisp County’s football coach the past three seasons and had a 15-19 record. He was on Cedar Grove’s staff from 2012 through 2020, winning three state titles, as offensive line coach, run game coordinator and ultimately offensive coordinator.
Smith played at Tennessee State and with the Buffalo Bills as an offensive lineman.
Washington’s football team was 10-27 in four seasons under Justin Rivers. The team is 0-7 in first-round playoff games the past 20 years.
Washington finished 4-21 last season. The team has advanced one round in the state playoffs since its 2012 Class 3A semifinals finish.
Faulkner later became Decatur’s coach and led that school in 2021 to its first playoff victory in 11 seasons.
About the Author
Todd Holcomb covers high school sports across the state. He rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025 and has worked with the AJC in varying capacities since 1985. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
