Georgia high school football coaching changes: South Georgia job opens up

Brantley County is in the market for a new head football coach after parting ways with David Shores. 

The Blue Herons went 0-10 last season for the first time since 2001, losing by an average of 33.8 points.

Shores was in his second year with the program. Brantley County went 2-8 in his first season.

Shores served as assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and safeties coach for Brunswick before Brantley County hired him. He also worked on staffs at Camden County, Lowndes and Peach County. Shores also has extensive coaching experience in the Alabama high school ranks.

Brantley County hasn't had a winning season since 2016 and hasn't made the playoffs since 2021. The Blue Herons are looking for their 16th coach in the program's 55-year history.

Washington County went to Cedartown to find its next head football coach.

The program has hired the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator Jay Ware as its next head coach, according to a WRDW report. Ware coached a 2-8 Cedartown team that averaged 18.9 points per game.

Cedartown was much better in the years before last season. The Bulldogs won at least eight games every season from 2020 to 2024 and averaged 33.6 points per game during that stretch.

Washington County replaced former University of Georgia running back and former first round NFL draft pick Robert Edwards. The school and Edwards parted ways in December.

Washington County has made the playoffs annually for the last seven seasons but hasn't won a postseason game since 2018.

Union Grove has announced Sumter County offensive coordinator Darren DeMeio as its next head coach.

DeMeio's Panthers averaged over 41 points per game last season and advanced to the semifinals.

Union Grove went 0-10 last season for the second time in school history. The last time was the program's inaugural season in 2000.

The Wolverines also averaged just 11.7 points per game.

East Jackson has found its next head football coach.

The program, coming off one of its best seasons in program history, has hired Ashley Henderson away from Jasper County.

FULL STORY HERE.

Alcovy is in the market for a new head coach, according to Garrett Pitts of The Covington News.

Fourth-year coach Spencer Fortson has stepped down from his position. Fortson went 11-29 across four seasons, the last of which ended with a 1-9 record.

Fortson was a longtime assistant coach at Newton before taking his first head coaching job at Alcovy.

Druid Hills hired Deuce Roberson away from Riverdale, the coach announced on social media.

Roberson has coached two metro Atlanta schools in the last four seasons. He led Stone Mountain in 2022 before coaching Riverdale for the last three seasons. The Raiders went 3-27 under Roberson.

Roberson also coached Savannah in 2017, leading the Blue Jackets to a 7-5 record. Savannah hasn't won more than three games in a season since his departure.

Roberson takes over a similarly struggling Druid Hills program. The Red Devils were 20-29-1 under former coach Frederick Greene. Their best season was in 2023 when they finished at 8-1-1.

Chapel Hill alumnus Julian Washington announced he will take over as head coach on social media.

"I'm home! Time to instill pride and a championship mentality back into the Chapel Hill community," Washington said in the announcement. "Let's go!"

Washington was a standout linebacker at Chapel Hill before playing at Savannah State. 

Washington served as an assistant at several Georgia programs before taking his first head coaching job at Arabia Mountain in 2021. He led a program that went 3-5 the year before he was hired to a 9-2 region championship season in 2023.

Chapel Hill went 1-9 both of the last two seasons. The Panthers have one winning season in the last five years.

Swainsboro promoted defensive coordinator Dwight Smith to lead the program next season. 

Smith, a Swainsboro alumnus, shared what the promotion meant to him when it was officially announced to the team.

"Those guys who know me know I'm from here, born and raised here, sat in the same seats that y'all are sitting in now," Smith said. "I'm just appreciative for the opportunity, appreciative to be standing here before you guys as the head football coach at Swainsboro. I'm still trying to get used to saying that and hearing that come out of my mouth, but I'm excited."

Swainsboro has been one of Class A Division I's best programs over the last five years. The Tigers have gone 49-17 during that span, making two state championship games and another state semifinal appearance.

Former Northwestern linebacker Quentin Davie will replace 2025 state champion coach Kenny Dallas at Hebron Christian.

FULL STORY HERE.

Rockmart has hired Richard Fendley Jr. away from Bowdon.

Fendley led the Red Devils to four consecutive state championships from 2022 to 2025 and a 79-26 combined record. 

Bowdon has announced it will promote defensive coordinator Jamie Abrams to succeed Fendley. FULL STORY HERE.