Improvement Tracker: Hillgrove moves into top spot in Class 6A after Week 9
GHSF Daily each week will rank the top five teams and their head coaches in each classification based on improvement in the computer Maxwell Ratings from previous seasons and beating preseason expectations. To qualify, teams must have a winning record, make the playoffs, finish in the top four of their region and improve on their playoff advancement or seeding from 2024. The Improvement Tracker is based on an objective formula that uses current and historical Maxwell Ratings. Improvement from 2024 counts most, but the formula also considers previous years to discourage rewarding traditionally strong teams that simply bounce back from a down year. In February, GHSF Daily will present an award to the nine coaches who lead their classifications at the Georgia Football Coaches Association Clinic in Marietta.
Class 6A
+19.67 - Hillgrove (Justin DeShon)
+16.11 - Rockdale County (Kenderrick Bonner)
+14.61 - McEachern (Kareem Reid)
+13.02 - Lowndes (Adam Carter)
+3.31 - Valdosta (Shelton Felton)
Class 5A
+18.27 - Northgate (Kevin Whitley)
+12.80 - Lassiter (Sean Thom)
+12.38 - New Manchester (Olten Downs)
+11.35 - Jackson County (Korey Mobbs)
+5.24 - Lovejoy (Edgar Carson)
Class 4A
+23.39 - Locust Grove (Garry Fisher)
+21.09 - Lithonia (Kevin Barnes)
+17.75 - Griffin (Bernard Goodrum)
+10.88 - M.L. King (Joel Kight)
+9.94 - Creekside (Maurice Dixon)
Class 3A
+28.21 - North Clayton (Cap Burnett)
+15.59 - Mount Zion-Jonesboro (Willie Binyard)
+15.15 - West Laurens (Kip Burdette)
+12.83 - Westside-Augusta (Cedric Mason)
+11.13 - North Hall (Sean Pender)
Class 2A
+19.72 - Columbus (Robert Peters)
+19.41 - Franklin County (Chuck Holland)
+17.99 - Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (Mac Bryan)
+14.83 - North Murray (Preston Poag)
+14.65 - KIPP Atlanta Collegiate (Corey Jarvis)
Class A Division I
+15.35 - Haralson County (Randy Crutchfield)
+10.35 - Worth County (Jeff Hammond)
+6.47 - Heard County (Shane Lasseter)
+5.36 - Jasper County (Ashley Henderson)
+4.91 - Pepperell (Brandon Haywood)
Class A Division II
+20.03 - Screven County (Ron Duncan)
+13.37 - Wheeler County (Thomas Smith)
+10.90 - Treutlen (Alan Shurling)
+8.66 - Johnson County (Don Norton)
+8.35 - Mount Zion-Carroll (Brad Gordon)
Class 3A-A Private
+24.60 - Landmark Christian (Tommy Lewis)
+7.51 - Greater Atlanta Christian (Tim Hardy)
+5.88 - Whitefield Academy (Robert Walsh)
+5.80 - Holy Innocents' (Nick Perrotta)
+4.99 - Aquinas (James Leonard)
GIAA
+29.14 - Calvary Christian (Emmanuel Brunson)
+15.89 - Loganville Christian (Nathan Murphy)
+14.78 - John Milledge Academy (J.T. Wall)
+13.82 - Rock Springs Christian (Clint Ashmore)
+7.21 - Southland Academy (Chance Jones)