Georgia high school football coaching changes: Westside-Macon, Vidalia make hires

Vidalia announced Friday that is has hired Zach Grage as its next football coach. Grage was most recently athletic director at Brooks County but previously was head coach at Lowndes (2022), Thomasville (2016-2021) and Gilmer (2015). 

He was the offensive coordinator for Colquitt County during the 2014 state title year. 

Westside-Macon’s new head coach will be promoted from within. Bibb County announced that defensive coordinator James Harris will take over as the third coach in Westside program history.

Harris’ elevation follows longtime coach Sheddrick Risper’s decision to step down after 16 seasons leading the Seminoles. Risper spent 28 seasons with the program in total, according to WMAZ.

Risper had the most GHSA wins from a Macon coach in the last 70 years.

Westside is coming off a 3-8 season, the worst in program history. The Seminole defense surrendered an average of 32.6 points per game.

Grayson promoted defensive coordinator Gregory Carswell to head coach on Thursday. Carswell has been with the program for the last three seasons, coming over from his assistant role at Gainesville alongside former coach Santavious Bryant. 

Carswell is the first Grayson coach to be promoted from within the program. He'll look to be the fifth out of six Grayson coaches to win a state championship.

FULL STORY HERE.

Temple has found its next head coach in Rome.

The school announced on Monday that former Rome offensive coordinator Steven Humphrey will take over the football program as its ninth head coach. Humphrey has extensive coaching experience but has never been a head coach before. 

Humphrey has previously served as offensive coordinator at Ware County, McEachern and Rome. He also coached in Carroll County — where Temple is located — at Villa Rica.

“Our program will be built on the core values represented in S.A.G.E.: Sacrifice, Attitude, Grit, and Effort,” Humphrey said in the announcement. “These principles will guide everything we do, on and off the field. I believe that a strong football program begins with strong relationships, and I am committed to earning the trust of our players and their families.”

Temple has made the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the program's 38 years. The Tigers went 9-3 in 2024 before falling back to 5-6 last season, and former coach Cory Nix stepped down on Dec. 5.

Camden County officially announced Tucker Pruitt as its new head coach on Tuesday. 

Pruitt is leaving Appling County after one season at the helm. He led the Pirates to an 8-4 season, a region title and a first-round playoff win over Hart County. 

Pruitt is Camden County’s second hire of the offseason. The school initially hired Jon Lindsey before he stepped down due to ‘unforeseen reasons.’

Camden County competes in a loaded Region 1-6A with South Georgia powerhouses Valdosta, Lowndes, Colquitt County. The Wildcats haven’t won a region title since 2013 despite two 10-win seasons since then.

FULL STORY HERE.

McDonough has announced the hire of longtime Southwest-Macon coach Joe Dupree.

Dupree coached at Southwest for 13 years. He led his alma mater to a 43-85 record, highlighted by three 6-5 seasons in 2016, 2017 and 2023. 

Dupree also led the Patriots to four state playoff appearances, the most of any coach in the program's 56-year history. 

Dupree will take over at a McDonough program that hasn't made the playoffs since 2018. The Warhawks went 3-7 in 2025 in the 10-team Region 2-4A.

Coach Cameron Pettus, who has led the East Jackson program since 2019, posted on X Tuesday that he is stepping down from his role. 

FULL STORY HERE.

Hart County announced Tuesday that it has hired Biff Parson away from Rockmart.

Brent has hired former Colorado State tight ends coach Grant Chesnut as its new offensive coordinator, according to Gradick Sports.

Chesnut will also serve as the school’s assistant principal and athletic director. He’s also coached at Western Kentucky, Kennesaw State and Navy, and previously served as Central-Carrollton’s head coach in 2011 and 2012. 

Chesnut led Central to a 9-12 combined record, making the first round of the playoffs in his second and final season with the school.

Chesnut, originally from Snellville, has coached at several Georgia high schools. He’s been an offensive assistant for Mary Persons, Thomasville and Camden County.

Bremen is preparing for its 11th season under head coach David Russell. The Blue Devils are 71-45 all-time under Russell. 

Longtime Lovejoy coach Edgar Carson confirmed he has stepped down to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. 

Carson, who has coached Lovejoy since 2014, is coming off one of his best seasons leading the Wildcats. Lovejoy went 8-3 with a first-round loss to eventual semifinalist Rome.

More time with family was a key part of Carson's decision to step down. Carson's son, Caleb, will be a freshman defensive back for Stanford University next season.

"The decision was strictly a family decision," Carson said. "I just want to be able to spend a little more time with my nine-year-old. I want to be able to see Caleb play ball at Stanford. 

"I know I did a lot to help a lot of kids, but Lovejoy is a special place. If you cut me open right now, I think I'd bleed blue."

Lovejoy was 78-54 under Carson in 12 seasons. The Wildcats had winning seasons in nine of those years and only missed the playoffs once.

Lovejoy will search for its fourth head coach in its 36-year history. All three coaches in program history have spent at least a decade at the school.