Two former Gwinnett County head coaches among 14 new hires in Class A Division I

Number of hires: 14

Best hire: Lenny Gregory, Commerce

Hardest to replace: Tucker Pruitt, Fitzgerald

Best job: Fitzgerald

Toughest job: B.E.S.T. Academy

Most interesting: Two of the better Class A Division I jobs, Fitzgerald and Rabun County, opened unexpectedly this offseason. Fitzgerald’s Tucker Pruitt, an alumnus who in 2021 won the school’s first title since in 73 years, left for Appling County. Fitzgerald hired Stephens County’s Wes Tankersley. Rabun County moved on from Michael Davis, though both called it a retirement. Davis was 27-10 in his three seasons, though 6-5 last season. Davis’ brother-in-law and former mentor, retired Calhoun coach Hal Lamb, responded on X by saying, “Coach Davis was wrongfully forced to retire by a poor administration.” Rabun County hired alumnus Rance Gillespie, who has 170 wins and two state titles on his resume. Gillespie made a great hire, getting former North Gwinnett coach Bill Stewart as his defensive coordinator. Stewart had been a Georgia Tech analyst the past two seasons. Davis landed at Hebron Christian, where he is the offensive coordinator for the Class 3A-A Private reigning champions. Davis thrived in that role for years at Calhoun, where he won three state titles.

Region 1

*Bacon County promoted defensive coordinator Thad Williams to replace Mark Wilson, who became Flint River Academy’s head coach. A graduate of Cook, Williams started his coaching career at Bacon, coached there from 2014 through 2016, and returned in 2022. He also has assisted at Taylor County (2017-18) and Appling County (2019-21). Bacon County has reached the playoffs each of the past three seasons but most recently had a winning season in 2017.

*Berrien hired Cook offensive coordinator Jackson Dean to replace Ken Eldridge, who is now coaching tight ends at Fitzgerald. Dean has been on staffs at Cook (2002-24), East Coweta (2016-21), Lowndes (2014-15), Northwestern State in Louisiana (2012-13), Hillgrove (2011) and South Gwinnett (2010). Berrien was 1-9 last season.

*Fitzgerald hired Stephens County coach Wes Tankersley to replace Tucker Pruitt, who became Appling County’s coach. Tankersley led Stephens County to two region titles in his seven seasons. Stephens County’s record was 46-32. His 2024 team reached the Class 2A quarterfinals and lost to Appling County. Under Pruitt, Fitzgerald was 60-12 over the past five seasons and won the 2021 Class 2A title.

Region 2

None

Region 3

*Savannah Country Day hired its assistant athletic director and middle-school coach Joey Blackmore to replace Roc Batten, who became head coach at Pope John Paul II in Tennessee. Blackmore came to SCD in 2001 and worked initially as running game coordinator, then defensive coordinator. Blackmore played on three NCAA FCS national championship teams at North Dakota State and began his coaching career there in 2014 as a graduate assistant. Savannah Country Day was 5-7 in Batten’s lone season.

Region 4

*McNair hired Newton offensive coordinator Markus Brown to replace Mario Drayton, who became Northview's head coach. Brown was Eagle’s Landing’s head coach in 2021 and 2022. Brown previously coached at Duluth, M.L. King, Miller Grove, Discovery and alma mater Lithonia. McNair was 12-28 in four seasons under Drayton, 4-7 with its first playoff berth since 2007 last season.

Region 5

*B.E.S.T. Academy hired Heritage of Conyers coach Rodney Cofield to replace Bernard Goodrum, who became Griffin's head coach. Cofield’s records were 97-46-1 with three region titles at Washington from 1995 to 2007 and 46-47 at Douglass from 2012 to 2020. An Atlanta native, Cofield ranks fifth all-time among APS coaches with 143 wins. B.E.S.T. Academy opened in 2007 and played its first varsity season in 2012. The football team has had one winning season and one playoff victory. The program’s victory total improved from 0-8 to 3-7 to 4-6 under Goodrum.

*Mount Paran Christian hired interim coach Connie Arnold as full-time coach to replace Matt Ely, who is now Woodstock’s strength-and-conditioning coach. With Arnold taking over after four games, Mount Paran went on to win its first playoff game since 2019. Arnold has been on Mount Paran’s staff since 2011. Mount Paran Christian won a Class A private state title in 2014 with Arnold as the team’s defensive backs coach.

*Mount Pisgah Christian hired Campbell offensive coordinator Brad Watkins to replace Elijer Martinez, who is now Mount Vernon’s defensive coordinator. Watkins worked at Campbell the past two seasons and the previous two at Cedartown, all as offensive coordinator. He coached eight seasons in college at Sacred Heart, Nichols College, Wilmington College and Old Dominion. Mount Pisgah was 2-9 in Martinez’s lone season.

Region 6

None

Region 7

*Armuchee hired Bolles, Florida, offensive coordinator Aaron Avery to replace Eric Belew, who became head coach at Warren County in Tennessee. Avery was part of Bolles teams that made the state semifinals in 2022 and 2023. Avery has held offensive staff roles at Oakleaf, Ponte Vedra, Mandarin, Bishop Kenny and alma mater Nease in Florida. Armuchee was 4-6 and 3-7 in Belew’s two seasons.

*Gordon Central hired Valdosta assistant coach, co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Marcus Gowan to replace Lenny Gregory, who became Commerce's head coach. Gowan, a Liberty County graduate, was at Valdosta for four seasons and previously worked on staffs at Lake Gibson, Florida.; Crisp County; Plant City, Florida; and Leon, Florida. Gordon Central finished 4-7 last season, ending a 12-year playoff drought and 31-game losing streak.

Region 8

*Commerce hired Gordon Central coach Lenny Gregory to replace Mark Hollars, who is now Banks County's offensive coordinator. Gregory was head coach at Gordon Central in northwest Georgia the past two seasons. He inherited a team on a 20-game losing streak and led the Warriors to their first playoff appearance in 12 years last season. Gregory led Collins Hill for six seasons and won a 2021 Class 7A championship. He was on Grayson’s staff for a 2011 state championship and was Centennial’s head coach in 2014-15. Commerce reached the second round last season under Hollars, who was let go despite a 31-16 record over four seasons.

*Elbert County promoted offensive coordinator Andy Dyer to replace Shannon Jarvis, who became the school system's assistant superintendent. Dyer was Archer’s coach from 2009, when the school opened, through 2021 and led the Tigers to four region titles, five 10-win seasons and a 2014 state runner-up finish in the highest classification. He joined Jarvis’s Elbert County staff in 2022. Dyer’s coaching record is 97-52.

*Providence Christian promoted linebackers coach Blake Murphy to replace John Russ, who is now quarterbacks coach at Mill Creek, his alma mater. Murphy joined Providence in 2023 after spending his first 14 coaching seasons at Hebron Christian. Murphy is a Johnson of Gainesville graduate. Providence was 3-9 last season after an 8-3 finish in 2023 that was the programs lone winning season in history.

*Rabun County hired Brookstone coach Rance Gillespie to replace Michael Davis, who is now Hebron Christian’s offensive coordinator. Gillespie, a Rabun County alumnus, is a 21-year Georgia head coach with stops at five schools, most notably Peach County, where he won two state titles. Gillespie was Georgia Southern’s offensive coordinator over separate stints in 2007-09 and 2016. He was head coach at Hart County (2017-21), Valdosta (2010-15), Peach County (2001-06) and Banks County (1999-2000). He left public schools in 2022 to coach at Brookstone, a GIAA school in Columbus. Rabun County was 27-10 in three seasons under Davis and 6-5 in 2024.