Collins Hill’s Gregory, Central-Carrollton’s Smiley resign

Lenny Gregory of Collins Hill and Darius Smiley of Central-Carroll stepped down from coaching positions this week, bringing to 37 the number of offseason openings at GHSA schools.

Gregory, who led Collins Hill to its first championship in 2021 in Class 7A, resigned Wednesday, saying his vision of the program did not match that of the new school administration.

“It pains me to leave a program that I devoted my life to and helped build into both a state and national power, as well as the community that my family and I truly love,’’ Gregory announced in a Twitter post.

Gregory’s teams were 46-28 in six seasons. The 2021 team featuring AJC all-classification player of the year Travis Hunter was 15-1, losing only in a postseason game in Las Vegas.

At Central, Smiley had brought the Lions their first playoff victory this season in eight years. He took over in 2017, inheriting a program that had gone 0-10 the season before. His six year record was 26-36, but the 8-4 finish in 2022 was the best since a 9-2 record in 2015.

Click here for a complete list of head coaching openings.