Defending champ Cedar Grove among 10 Class 3A schools with new head coaches

Number of hires: 10

Best hire: Craig Bennett, Pickens

Hardest to replace: John Adams, Cedar Grove

Best job: Bainbridge

Toughest job: Stone Mountain

Most interesting: John Adams became the third Cedar Grove coach in eight years to win a state title and wind up in college football as he joined the staff of new coach Dell McGee at Georgia State. Former Saints coaches Jimmy Smith (Arkansas associate head coach) and Miguel Patrick (UAB defensive line) are also college coaches now. Cedar Grove broke tradition by not promoting an assistant. The job went to Dougherty defensive coordinator Roderick Moore, who returns to his native DeKalb County, where he has spent most of his career.

Region 1

*Bainbridge hired Navarre (Fla.) coach Jay Walls to replace Jeff Littleton, who became head coach at Tift County. Walls led Navarre, near Pensacola, for 12 seasons and reached three state semifinals. He was Tift County’s coach from 2005 to 2011 and led Tift to its most recent region title and semifinal appearance in 2006. Walls’ career record is 205-104. Bainbridge won five region titles and a 2018 Class 5A championship in Littleton’s 11 seasons.

Region 2

*Fayette County hired former McDonough head coach Eric Solomon to replace Nick Davis, who became head coach at Spalding. Solomon, most recently defensive coordinator at Brookland-Cayce (S.C.), is a former Peach County and Carson-Newman linebacker who has been on staffs at Bayside (Fla.), Austin East (Tenn.), Valdosta, alma mater Peach County, Cedar Shoals and Clark Atlanta. He was on Peach's staff during the 2009 Class 3A championship season. Solomon was McDonough’s head coach in 2019-20. Fayette County has finished 1-9 the past two seasons.

*Spalding hired Fayette County coach Nick Davis to replace Carl Kearney. Davis, a Griffin native, has been head coach at seven schools, including Spalding from 2011 to 2018 before leaving for Fayette County. Kearney, in his fourth season, led Spalding to a 12-1 finish and its first region title in 20 years last season. In March, he was charged in Maryland with the murder of Patrina Best and remains in jail awaiting trial.

Region 3

*Windsor Forest hired Ridgeland-Hardeeville offensive coordinator C.J. Frazier to replace Jeb Stewart, who retired. Frazier was Ridgeland-Hardeeville’s offensive coordinator for three seasons and was hired to become the first coach of the new Hardeeville High but took the Windsor Forest job in the summer. He also was offensive coordinator for three seasons at Bluffton, where he was a star quarterback who would play at Newberry. Windsor Forest was 14-24 in Stewart’s four seasons, 2-8 in 2023.

Region 4

*Baldwin hired Jones County wide receivers coach and assistant head coach Kevin Patterson to replace Jesse Hicks, who became East Laurens' head coach. Patterson was McEachern’s defensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022 and has coached at Tucker and T.L. Hanna (S.C.). Patterson played on Camden County’s 2003 championship team and Wake Forest’s 2006 ACC championship team. Baldwin was 40-36 in Hicks’ seven seasons and 6-5 last year.

*Howard hired Trey Porter, a Missouri native with nine coaching stops in 11 seasons, to replace Paul Carroll, who became head coach at Stratford Academy. Porter worked mostly recently on staffs at North Alabama (2022) and Missouri Southern (2021). He was head coach of Roosevelt in St. Louis for three seasons, the last two going 19-5 after a 1-9 start. Howard was 28-30 in six seasons under Carroll and 5-5 in 2023.

Region 5

*Cedar Grove hired Dougherty defensive coordinator Roderick Moore to replace John Adams, who left to join new Georgia State coach Dell McGee’s staff as defensive backs coach. Moore is a Druid Hills alumnus and a former head coach at McNair (2006-08) and Redan (2014-17). His career record is 38-46. He led McNair to its most recent three playoff appearances before the current 15-year drought. Cedar Grove won its fifth state title in eight seasons last year.

*Stone Mountain hired Cedar Grove linebackers coach Marlon Moore to replace Greg Carter, who is teaching at Lithonia and not coaching this season. Moore is a former Southwest DeKalb and Morehead State player who has coached on staffs at McDonough, Fayette County, Spalding, South Gwinnett, Woodland-Stockbridge, North Clayton and Southwest DeKalb. He joined Cedar Grove’s staff in 2023. Stone Mountain was 1-9 last season and will continue to play a non-region schedule this year.

Region 6

*Pickens hired Cambridge coach Craig Bennett to replace Grant Myers, who is now Cherokee’s defensive coordinator. Bennett started Cambridge’s program in 2012 and led it to its first region title in 2022 and playoff appearances each of the past four seasons. Pickens was 12-18 in Myers’ three seasons and 3-7 in 2023.

Region 7

*LaFayette promoted defensive coordinator Ethan Thompson, an alumnus, to replace Andy Scott, who became coach at Woodland of Cartersville. Thompson also is the school’s head wrestling coach. Thompson, a former LaFayette and Cornell running back, was on Ringgold’s staff (2017-20) before coming home to LaFayette. The Ramblers were 3-7 last season.

Region 8

None