Dickerson, Dean among 17 new head coaches in Class A Division II

Number of hires: 17

Best hire: David Dean, Lanier County

Hardest to replace: Stephen Holmes, Manchester

Best job: Clinch County

Toughest job: Pataula Charter

Most interesting: Jim Dickerson, who retired after winning a fifth state title at Clinch County in 2018, is back. You probably know that. Here’s one you probably don’t: Region 5 rivals Twiggs County and Wilkinson County each hired a Baldwin assistant head coach and coordinator. Roderick Cummings (Twiggs) was the defensive coordinator. Jamoski Ward (Wilkinson) was the offensive coordinator. They were teammates on good teams at Albany State and have spent most of their careers on the same staffs under former Baldwin and current East Laurens coach Jessie Hicks. Now both are first-year head coaches. Their teams meet Nov. 1.

Region 1

*Miller County hired Ola coach Tom Causey to replace Daniel McFather, who retired after 25 seasons as head coach at six Georgia schools. Causey’s Ola teams were 13-9 in Class 5A’s toughest region. Causey has a 146-104 record in Alabama and won a 2009 Class 5A championship at Demopolis. Miller County was 4-6 in McFather’s lone season. Miller's last winning season was 2018.

*Pataula Charter promoted offensive coordinator Sam Brown to replace David Bell, who joined Mitchell County’s staff. Brown, also Pataula’s boys basketball coach and track-and-field coach, came to Pataula last season after serving as Baconton Charter’s offensive coordinator since 2018. He also has coached at Miller County and Seminole County. Brown is a former all-state running back at Seminole County and member of Valdosta State’s 2004 Division II national championship team. Pataula is a school of 250 students that does not play a region schedule.

Region 2

*Brooks County promoted offensive coordinator Josh McFather to replace Maurice Freeman, who became head coach of Daleville in Alabama. McFather has spent his coaching career at Brooks County starting in 2019. He was wide receivers coach for three seasons, winning a state title in 2021, and became offensive coordinator in 2022. McFather played quarterback at Lanier County under his father, Daniel McFather, a 25-year Georgia head coach who just retired.

*Charlton County hired Godby (Fla.) coach DeMario Jones to replace Russ Murray, who retired. Jones’ Godby teams were 5-14 in two seasons. Jones had been Turner County’s defensive coordinator before Godby hired him. Charlton County was 22-31 in Murray’s five seasons, peaking with an 8-3 finish and first region title in 13 years in 2022.

*Clinch County rehired former coach Jim Dickerson, who had retired after the 2018 season, to replace Don Tison Jr., who is now Brunswick’s offensive line coach. Dickerson won state titles in his first season (2004) and what was thought to be his last (2018) along with 2017, 2015 and 2010. He was 155-42-1 in 15 seasons. Tison Jr.’s teams were 44-18 in his six seasons as coach, including 11-2 in 2023.

 *Lanier County hired West Georgia head coach David Dean to replace Kurt Williams, who became head coach at Macon County. As head coach at West Georgia (2017-23) and Valdosta State (2007-15), Dean has a 127-47 career record with Division II national titles in 2007 and 2012. He was Georgia Southern’s co-offensive coordinator in 2016. Lanier County has finished 6-6 and 7-3 the past two seasons after a decade of going 17-82.

*Turner County hired Veterans defensive coordinator Demario Barber, an alumnus, to replace Ben Simmons, who joined Charlton County’s staff. Barber was the defensive backs coach on Irwin County’s 20202 state championship team. Barber also has coached at Thomson, Americus-Sumter and Thomasville. Barber is a former all-conference wide receiver at Fort Valley State. Turner County was 3-8 last season.

Region 3

None

Region 4

*Montgomery County hired Turner County offensive coordinator Kaream Hess to replace Don Vandygriff, who now is Dublin’s defensive ends and defensive run-game coordinator. Hess is a former Tift County and Albany State player in his 10th year of coaching. He has been on staffs at Lincoln University and Albany State. Montgomery County was 0-10 last season.

*Treutlen hired Cedartown offensive coordinator Alan Shurling to replace Pat Collins, who became head coach at Tattnall County. Shurling was at Cedartown for one season. He’s previously been on staffs at South Effingham (2021-22), Jasper County (2019-20), Upson-Lee (2016-18) and alma mater Lamar County (2014-15). Treutlen, coming off a 3-7 finish, will be seeking its first winning season since 2016.

*Wheeler County rehired its 2020-22 coach, Thomas Smith, to replace Britt Ingle, who returned to Vidalia as offensive coordinator. Smith left for Dodge County and was 1-9 in his lone season but 10-11 his final two seasons at Wheeler County, which had gone 3-27 the previous three. Smith was coach at the GIAA’s Toombs Academy the 10 seasons prior and had a 64-48 record and won a Class A title in 2013. Wheeler County was 3-7 last season.

Region 5

*GMC Prep promoted offensive line coach Gavin Tierce to replace Bobby Rhoades, who is now assistant football and head track coach at Appling County. Tierce was 24 when hired in February. He began coaching at Valdosta High in 2020 while in college at Valdosta State. He then coached at Dade County, his alma mater. GMC Prep was 3-7 in Rhoades’ only season.

*Hancock Central promoted offensive coordinator Brandon Nolley to replace Marleau Blount, who is now Jefferson County’s offensive coordinator. Nolley is a former Hancock Central quarterback who played football at Georgia Southern and was a first-team all-state basketball player at Hancock. In 2017, GHSF Daily named Nolley the best football player in Hancock Central history. He began coaching Hancock’s middle school program in 2012 and joined the varsity staff in 2016.

*Twiggs County hired Baldwin defensive coordinator Roderick Cummings to replace Patrick Wray, who is now offensive line coach at Central of Macon. Cummings worked at Baldwin for four seasons over two stints and has coached eight seasons at Central and Southwest in Macon, his hometown. He was a linebacker at Westside (Macon) and Albany State. Twiggs County has won just four games over its past six seasons.

*Wilkinson County hired Baldwin offensive coordinator Jamoski Ward to replace interim coach Terrell Holt, who remains at the school but is not coaching football. Ward has assisted at Baldwin for seven years, Central of Macon for five and Dougherty for two, all under head coach Jesse Hicks. He’s a former Albany High and Albany State quarterback. Wilkinson was 5-5 in Holt’s only season.

Region 6

*Chattahoochee County hired St. Anne-Pacelli offensive line coach Bruce Figgins to replace Josh Jacobson, who became Liberty County’s offensive coordinator. Figgins is a former Georgia tight end who has been on staffs at Cherokee Bluff, Gainesville, East Hall, Geneva College and Riverdale (La.). In 2023, in addition to helping the Pacelli varsity, he was the school’s middle school head coach and was an assistant for the Columbus Lions’ arena league team. Figgins will be the Panthers’ fourth coach in four seasons. They were 1-9 in 2023.

*Macon County hired Lanier County coach Kurt Williams to replace Dexter Copeland, who retired. Williams achieved for Lanier County’s its first playoff victory in history in 2022 and its first winning season in 12 years in 2023. Macon County was 10-3 last season and 76-32 with a 2016 state title in Copeland’s nine seasons.

Region 7

*Manchester promoted defensive coordinator Demonta Prather to replace Stephen Holmes, who became head coach at Pike County. Prather coached at alma mater Fort Valley State, where he was a linebacker, from 2016 to 2020 before joining Manchester’s staff. He became Manchester’s boys basketball coach in 2023. Manchester was 25-12 in Holmes’ three seasons and 11-3 and Class A Division II runner-up in 2023.

Region 8

None