Warner Robins named Rome offensive coordinator Shane Sams as football coach Tuesday, bringing to 45 the number of GHSA offseason hires. There have been 75 openings. Sams is a former Warner Robins quarterback who was the Demons’ offensive coordinator during state runner-up appearances in 2017 and 2018.

Brett Garvin, who led Sandy Creek to the Class 3A football championship last season, retired officially Monday after 31 seasons on high school sidelines, the past 22 at one of metro Atlanta’s best programs. “It’s been on my mind,” Garvin said. “It’s been a long time at the same school, and I feel like maybe the kids at Sandy Creek deserve some new blood. Obviously, going out on top is the way to go.”

Eight former Georgia high school players, including two from Sprayberry High, are on rosters for Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Eagles in Glendale, Arizona. The Sprayberry pair – Jerick McKinnon of the Chiefs and Trey Sermon of the Eagles – are running backs. “How cool is that, man?” said Billy Shackelford, the high school coach of both. “I’m like a proud papa.”

St. Frances Academy, a consensus top-10 national program from Baltimore, will be playing at Georgia state power Buford in a season opener Aug. 18, Prep Gridiron Logistics announced Thursday morning. That likely will stand as the top interstate game for a Georgia team in 2023, but several others are lining up top out-of-state opponents.

Eric Godfree was announced as North Gwinnett’s football coach Tuesday morning in a move expected since Godfree’s resignation at Parkview last month. Godfree replaces Bill Stewart, who took a job as a Georgia Tech analyst.

Whitefield Academy announced the hiring of Savannah Christian defensive coordinator Robert Walsh as head football coach Monday. Walsh was at Savannah Christian for five seasons and had been Savannah Christian’s boys basketball coach through the 2022 season.

Collins Hill promoted defensive coordinator Drew Swick to head football coach this week, Shaw hired Johnny Garner from Carver of Columbus, and jobs at Alexander, South Paulding and Savannah came open. Swick is a Collins Hill alumnus who has coached entirely at his alma mater, starting with the 2015 season. He played at Presbyterian.

Georgia High School Football Daily presented its Improvement Tracker state Coach of the Year awards to nine coaches Tuesday at the annual Atlanta Falcons Luncheon in Macon. The award sponsor is Hudl. The annual event, put on by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association, recognizes coaches that win state and region championships.

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 has been his only employer since leaving Jacksonville State. The former cornerback also played at Stephenson in DeKalb County.

Parkview head coach Eric Godfree resigned late Tuesday after nine seasons at his alma mater and is expected to be announced as head coach at another school soon. Godfree, who took over for longtime Parkview coach Cecil Flowe in 2014, led the Panthers to region titles in 2018 and 2019 and a 70-37 overall record.

Blessed Trinity hired Ed Dudley as its football coach Monday. Dudley, a Georgia head coach for 29 seasons, has led programs at Buford (1992-94), Walton (1995-2008), Ware County (2009-13) and most recently Winder-Barrow (2018-22).

Grayson hired Gainesville assistant Santavious Bryant as head football coach Thursday evening, filling one of the state’s most attractive jobs, while Grayson’s defensive coordinator, Danny Carlisle, was announced as Chattahoochee’s coach Friday morning. Pope, Seckinger, Dacula, Walker and Central-Macon also made hires Thursday or Friday.

Burke County has hired McEachern coach Franklin Stephens, an alumnus and former player, to replace the retiring Eric Parker. Stephens has coached at four schools, leading each to multiple region titles. He led Tucker to Class 4A championships in 2008 and 2011.

Lenny Gregory, who led Collins Hill to a Class 7A football championship in 2021, was announced as Gordon Central’s coach Thursday morning. Gregory resigned at Collins Hill in December, citing philosophical differences with the administration.

Allatoona coach Gary Varner, whose 2015 team was the first in Cobb County Schools history to win a football state championship, is retiring. Varner started Allatoona’s program in 2008 and won 129 games, four region titles and the 2015 Class 5A championship.

Centennial football coach Sean O’Sullivan resigned Wednesday to take another unnamed coaching position. O’Sullivan, who worked previously at North Atlanta, has rebuilt two struggling programs in his five seasons as a coach.

Darlington football coach Tommy Atha announced Tuesday that he would retire at the end of the academic year after 21 seasons as the Tigers’ coach, and Northside of Warner Robins hired Peach County offensive coordinator Ben Bailey as its next head coach. Atha’s teams won seven region titles and reached the state quarterfinals or better five times.