Riverwood football coach and former University of Georgia star Robert Edwards is going home to Washington County, where he will become just the third head coach at his alma mater in 30 years.
Edwards, a first-round NFL draft pick in 1998 after rushing for 2,033 yards in his Georgia career, just led Riverwood to its best four-year record in history, going 32-11 and winning region titles in 2019 and 2021.
Riverwood, a north Fulton County school, had gone 2-8 before Edwards was hired in 2018. Edwards was head coach at Greene County for six seasons before moving to metro Atlanta.
Washington County, about 50 miles east of Macon, became a state power in the 1990s and was launched by Edwards’ senior class. The Golden Hawks were 14-1 and a state runner-up in 1992, when Edwards as a defensive back and the AJC’s Class 2A defensive player of the year.
Credit: FRANK NIEMEIR
Credit: FRANK NIEMEIR
Edwards’ senior season also was the first year as head coach for Rick Tomberlin, who would win state titles in 1994, 1996 and 1997, the latter two seasons with Edwards’ brother, Terrence, as the team’s quarterback. Edwards went on to play at Georgia and is now Pace Academy’s offensive coordinator.
Washington County was only 5-5 last season, but all five losses came against ranked teams. Washington County had a regular-season victory over an eventual semifinal team, Swainsboro. Washington County won a region title as recently as 2016.
Washington County’s 288 victories since 1992 rank 10th among Georgia High School Football Association teams.
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