Terrence Edwards one of 12 new head coaches in Class A Division I

Number of hires: 12

Best hire: Roc Batten, Savannah Country Day

Hardest to replace: Scott Peavey, Haralson County

Best job: Brantley County

Toughest job: East Laurens

Most interesting: It’s about time that Terrence Edwards was a head coach. The University of Georgia’s all-time leading receiver was the passing game coordinator for Class 7A champion Milton last season and spent several years on Pace Academy’s staff before Mount Vernon hired him as head coach in January. Edwards also is a prominent private wide receivers coach in Atlanta. He was a five-time CFL all-star wide receiver. He’s also a former Washington County quarterback and inaugural member of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame. His brother, Robert Edwards, is head coach at Washington County.

Region 1

*Brantley County hired Brunswick assistant head coach David Shores to replace Geoff Cannon, who became head coach at Coosa. Shores was Brunswick’s special teams and strength-and-conditioning coach for three seasons. He was defensive coordinator at Camden County (2017-20), Lowndes (2015-16) and Peach County (2014) and head coach at Alabama’s Pell City (2011-12) and Spain Park (2008-09). He’s a former Auburn player. Brantley County was 5-5 the past two seasons.

Region 2

*Dodge County hired Valdosta linebackers/special teams coordinator Phillip Brown to replace Thomas Smith, who became head coach at Wheeler County. Brown began his coaching career in his native Louisiana with state power Destrehan and won state titles in 2007 and 2008. Brown came to Georgia in 2016 to join Colquitt County’s staff. He later worked at Thomasville and Cook and spent a year at Valdosta. Dodge County was 1-9 in Smith’s only season.

*East Laurens hired Baldwin coach Jesse Hicks to replace Bin Turner, who joined Dublin’s staff as defensive tackles coach. Hicks has won 133 games in his 22 seasons as a head coach, with two tenures at Baldwin and stops at Dougherty and Central of Macon. East Laurens was 15-46 in Turner’s six seasons and 3-8 in 2023.

Region 3

*Savannah Country Day hired Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.) coach Roc Batten to replace John Mohring, who became head coach at Wayne County. Batten’s teams were 32-22 in five seasons at Ensworth and 64-31 in the eight previous seasons at Battleground Academy. Batten is a former Vanderbilt player whose career was cut short by a neck injury. He later served as the Commodores’ outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. Batten was part of state championship teams as an assistant at Ensworth and for Montgomery Bell Academy. Savannah Country Day was 5-5 and 7-4 the past two seasons in Class 3A, playing above Class A for the first time.

Region 4

None

Region 5

*King's Ridge Christian hired Holy Innocents' offensive coordinator Zach Slaney to replace Terry Crowder, who retired. Slaney has been on staffs at Pace Academy (2018-20) and alma mater Heritage of Newnan (2015-17). King’s Ridge Christian was 4-3 in 2023, its first winning season for a school that played its first full varsity schedule in 2010.

*Mount Pisgah Christian promoted defensive coordinator Elijer Martinez to replace Ryan Livezey, who became St. Francis’ head coach. Martinez is a former Cartersville and Western Carolina football captain. Martinez came to Mount Pisgah in 2021 after stints at Holy Spirit Prep, Stephens County and Cumberlands. Mount Pisgah was 4-7 last season and 18-17 in Livezey’s three seasons.

*Mount Vernon hired Milton passing game coordinator Terrence Edwards to replace Wayne Dabbs, who remained at the school in administration. Edwards coached the previous six seasons as Pace Academy’s offensive coordinator. Edwards is Georgia’s all-time leading receiver and played briefly in the NFL with the Falcons and then nine seasons in the CFL. Mount Vernon was 55-46 in Dabbs’ nine seasons and 8-4 last season.

*St. Francis hired Mount Pisgah Christian coach Ryan Livesey to replace Brian Dameron, who is now Blessed Trinity’s secondary coach. Livesey has won 85 games across 13 Georgia seasons at Mount Pisgah and Holy Innocents’. Those schools, and St. Francis, are in north Fulton County. St. Francis was 10-4 in 2022 but 1-8 last season after heavy roster departures.

Region 6

*Haralson County hired Wayne County defensive coordinator Randy Crutchfield to replace Scott Peavey, who became head coach at Etowah (Ala). Crutchfield joined Wayne’s staff in 2022, when the team went from 0-9 to 10-3. He also has been a defensive coordinator at Dodge County and Temple and has worked at Hiram and Villa Rica. Haralson County was 40-34 in Peavey’s seven seasons after winning 18 games the previous seven seasons. Haralson achieved its second 10-win season and first region title in 2021.

*Pepperell hired Woodland (Cartersville) coach Brandon Haywood to replace Rick Hurst, who joined Cherokee’s staff as receivers coach. Haywood, a former star quarterback at Carson-Newman, has been an offensive coordinator at alma mater Rockmart (2019-21), Cass (2018) and River Ridge (2013-17). Pepperell was 61-40 in nine seasons with Hurst and 5-6 in 2023.

Region 7

*Coosa hired Brantley County coach Geoff Cannon to replace Joey Mathis, who became athletic director. Cannon’s Brantley teams were 20-41 in six seasons and 5-5 the past two. Cannon, a Cobb County native, also has coached at Allatoona, Frederica Academy, Glynn Academy and Kell. Coosa was 11-27 in four seasons under Mathis and 3-7 in 2023.

Region 8

*Banks County hired Holy Innocents' coach Todd Winter to replace Jay Reid. Winter had a 55-27 record with three region titles in seven seasons at Holy Innocents’ and was 35-19 with one region title at Pinecrest Academy. Holy Innocents’ went 17-7 in two seasons after moving to Class 4A from A Private. Banks County was 21-34 in six seasons under Reid and 4-6 in 2023. Reid has started a company called Koala Wall and is not coaching this season.