Christian Heritage’s Barden one of 16 new coaches in Class A Division II

Number of hires: 16

Best hire: Frank Barden, Christian Heritage

Hardest to replace: Sid Fritts, Washington-Wilkes

Best job: Washington-Wilkes

Toughest job: Central (Talbotton)

Most interesting: Alex Bradford was Lincoln County’s starting split end on two Class A championship teams under Larry Campbell in 2005-06. Now he’s now coaching the enemy – Washington-Wilkes – the team that Lincoln County defeated in one of those championship games. Washington-Wilkes promoted Bradford from offensive coordinator to replace Sid Fritts, who retired from Washington-Wilkes in May. Fritts is one of 11 coaches in GHSA history to win region titles at four schools. The first three came at Vidalia, Rome and Elbert County. Fritts also won a region title at Sequatchie County in Tennessee. Only the great T. McFerrin won region titles at more than four schools.

Region 1

*Baconton Charter hired Mitchell County Middle assistant Jermaine King to replace David Bell, who became head coach at Pataula Charter. King had spent six years on Mitchell County’s staff as defensive coordinator through three region titles. Baconton has won one game each of the past three seasons, playing a non-region schedule in two of them.

*Early County promoted offensive coordinator Frank Killingsworth to replace Joel Harvin, who became head coach at Putnam County. Killingsworth has been on Early’s staff for nine seasons. He’s a former head coach at Miller County (2007-13) and Calhoun County (1993-95) and won region titles at both. Early County was 33-32 in six seasons under Harvin, who went out with a 9-4 quarterfinal finish and region title.

*Miller County hired Pataula Charter coach Daniel McFather to replace Nate George, who remained at the school as a teacher. McFather has been head coach at Pataula (2002), Southwest Georgia (2017-21), Randolph-Clay (2009-16), Lanier County (2001-08) and Henry County (1999-2000). McFather’s record is 116-130-1 despite inheriting only one team with more than two victories the previous season. That was Pataula, which he improved to 7-2 from 6-4. Miller County was 12-18 in George’s three seasons.

*Pataula Charter hired Baconton Charter coach David Bell to replace Daniel McFather, who became head coach at Miller County. Bell’s Baconton teams won one game each of the past three seasons. Miller County was 12-18 the past three seasons under George and 5-6 in 2022. Bell also was head coach the two previous season at his alma mater, Miller County.

Region 2

*Atkinson County hired Lowndes Middle coach and athletic director Bobby Jones to replace Carl McGowan, who remained as athletic director. Jones worked at Cook for 23 seasons, the last four (2015-2018) as head coach. His teams there were 21-24. He coached at Charlton County two seasons before going to Lowndes last year. Atkinson County was 18-32 the past six seasons under McGowan.

Region 3

None

Region 4

*Hawkinsville hired Jeff Davis defensive line coach Tim Suttles to replace Shane Williamson, now an assistant superintendent. Suttles spent 15 seasons at Montgomery County, where he was 19-13 as a head coach in 2019-21. Hawkinsville was 11-29 in four seasons under Williamson and 3-7 in 2022.

*Treutlen hired South Effingham assistant head coach Pat Collins to replace Steve Versprille, who is now East Laurens’ linebackers coach. Collins, noted for running the wing-T offense, has been a head coach at Bulloch Academy (2018-19), Southeast Bulloch (1995-96, 2010-16), Screven County (2006-09), Portal (2004-05) and Claxton (1998-99).

*Wheeler County hired Vidalia defensive coordinator Britt Ingle to replace Thomas Smith, who became head coach at Dodge County. Ingle was Wheeler County’s coach from 1997 to 2003 and Treutlen’s coach from 2004 to 2017. Ingle’s 1999 Wheeler County team is the only one in program history to win a playoff game. The Bulldogs were 5-6 in 2022 and made the playoffs for the first time in six years.

Region 5

*GMC Prep hired Pepperell offensive coordinator Bobby Rhoades to replace Lee Coleman, who became head coach at Lakeview Academy. Rhoades was on Pepperell’s staff five seasons and coached prior in five other states. Those travels include college stops at Delta State, Tusculum, Central Arkansas and Illinois State. He has been a head coach in Alabama at Kate Duncan Smith DAR and Grissom. GMC was 23-20 in three seasons under Coleman, whose new job puts him in his Gainesville hometown.

*Twiggs County promoted Patrick Wray as interim coach to replace Iradé Perry, who now works as a counselor at Macon County and is not coaching. Twiggs County has won four games since 2017 and dropped football during the 2020 COVID season.

*Wilkinson County promoted offensive line coach Terrell Holt, an alumnus, as interim coach to replace Keldrick Burke, who was named East Laurens’ principal last week. Holt joined Wilkinson County’s staff in 2019 out of college. Burke was the GHSF Daily Improvement Tracker coach of the year last season in Class A Division II after leading the Warriors to a 7-5 finish, their best season in 10 years.

Region 6

*Central (Talbotton) hired Chattahoochee County assistant coach and head boys basketball coach Andrew Hall to replace Chris Cowart, who is now Veterans’ defensive line coach. Hall had been Central’s basketball coach for 19 seasons through 17 playoff appearances. Central is 0-25 since 2020.

*Chattahoochee County hired Suwanee (Fla.) offensive coordinator Josh Jacobson to replace Ryan McKenzie, who became head coach at Hardaway. Jacobson had joined the Panthers’ staff this spring as offensive coordinator before the promotion. He’s been an offensive coordinator at Cook and Bacon County in Georgia and Baker County, Milton and Suwanee in Florida. He began his coaching career in 2002 as a student assistant defensive line coach at alma mater Eastern Michigan. Chattahoochee County was 5-6 in McKenzie’s lone season. Despite a 94-88 all-time record, Chattahoochee County has hired nine coaches in the program’s 18-season history.

*Greenville promoted longtime assistant Robert Sanders to replace Alexander Ogletree, who is now Northgate’s running backs coach. Greenville was 2-7 in his lone season.

Region 7

*Christian Heritage hired St. Francis coach Frank Barden to replace Jay Poag, who became head coach at Pine Lake Prep near Charlotte. Barden led St. Francis to the Class A Division I semifinals and a 10-4 record last season. The Alpharetta private school had won only one playoff game in its 12 previous seasons. Barden also won a state title at Cartersville in 1999, and his 216 victories are sixth among active GHSA coaches. Christian Heritage was 37-45 in seven seasons under Poag and 5-7 last season.

Region 8

*Washington-Wilkes promoted offensive coordinator Alex Bradford to replace Sid Fritts, who retired. Bradford is a former Lincoln County player who won two state titles under coach Larry Campbell and coached at his alma mater from 2011 to 2017, the last three years as offensive coordinator. He worked at Cairo for a season before coming to Washington-Wilkes in 2019. Washington-Wilkes was 26-9 in three seasons under Fritts and 8-4 in 2022.