Darlington football coach Tommy Atha announced Tuesday that he would retire at the end of the academic year after 21 seasons as the Tigers’ coach, and Northside-Warner Robins hired Peach County offensive coordinator Ben Bailey.
Atha’s teams won seven region titles and reached the state quarterfinals or better five times. His final team was 11-1. His record was 179-66, and he ranked 15th among active GHSA coaches in victories.
Darlington has had only two coaches since 1986. GACA Hall of Famer Jerry Sharp, who led the Tigers to a 1998 state title and for home Darlington’s stadium is named, was the other.
Northside turned to Bailey to replace Chad Alligood, who was 21-15 in three seasons and 7-5 in 2022. Bailey was Houston County’s offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021 and previously worked on Lee County’s staff.
The Darlington opening is the 54th among GHSA schools this offseason, and the Northside hire is the 16th to be filled. Many have taken place in the past week.
Cairo has hired David Coleman, its interim coach last season, as full-time coach.
Chattahoochee County has hired Suwanee, Fla., offensive coordinator Josh Jacobson to replace Ryan McKenzie, who was 5-6 in one season.
Jefferson County has promoted offensive coordinator Mario East to replace J.B. Arnold, who retired.
Treutlen has hired South Effingham assistant head coach Pat Collins to replace Steve Versprille at a program that was 0-10 last season. It will be Collins’ seventh school as a head coach, all in southeast Georgia.
Franklin County’s Parker Martin and Redan’s Derek Vaughn won’t return to their jobs next season.
Here are the offseason openings and hires. The Cairo job, though once open, is not included because the team brought back its 2022 coach.
Armuchee - Jeremy Green (New coach: Eric Belew)
Berkmar - Cole Meyer
Blessed Trinity - Tom Hall
Burke County - Eric Parker
Campbell - Howie Decristofaro
Central-Carrollton - Darius Smiley (New coach: Umbrah Brown)
Central-Macon - Joaquin Sample
Central-Talbotton - Chris Cowart
Chattahoochee - Mike Malone
Chattahoochee County - Ryan McKenzie (New coach: Josh Jacobson)
Chattooga - Shawn Peek (New coach: Roone Gable)
Chestatee - Shaun Conley (New coach: Stuart Cunningham)
Coahulla Creek - Danny Wilson (New coach: Drew Carter)
Collins Hill - Lenny Gregory
Dacula - Casey Vogt
Darlington - Tommy Atha
Fellowship Christian - Tim McFarlin (New coach: John Thompson)
Forsyth Central - David Rooney
Franklin County - Parker Martin
GMC Prep - Lee Coleman
Gordon Central - T.J. Hamilton
Grayson - Adam Carter
Griffin - Rusty Easom (New coach: Clifford Fedd)
Hawkinsville - Shane Williamson
Jackson County - Rich McWhorter (New coach: Korey Mobbs)
Jefferson County - J.B. Arnold (New coach: Mario East)
Liberty County - Tony Glazer
Lowndes - Zach Grage (New coach: Adam Carter)
M.L. King - Deante Lamar
Metter: Rodney Garvin (New coach: Lee Shaw)
Newton: Camiel Grant
North Gwinnett: Bill Stewart
Northside-Warner Robins - Chad Alligood (New coach: Ben Bailey)
Paulding County - Umbrah Brown
Peach County: Chad Campbell (Hired Marquis Westbrook)
Pope - Tab Griffin
Putnam County - Shaun Pope
Redan - Derek Vaughn
Ringgold - Robert Akins
Rockdale County - Lee Hannah
Salem - Jarrett Laws
Seckinger - Aaron Hill
Shaw - Blair Harrison
Southwest DeKalb - Damien Wimes
Statesboro - Jeff Kaiser
Sumter County - Clifford Fedd
Toombs County - Richie Marsh (New coach: Buddy Martin)
Treutlen - Steve Versprille (New coach: Pat Collins)
Tri-Cities - Cuevas Dargan
Vidalia - Jason Cameron (New coach: Rodney Garvin)
Walker - Tom Evangelista
Warner Robins - Marquis Westbrook
Whitefield Academy - Coleman Joiner
Woodstock - Troy Hoff
