Apalachee, a football program on a 29-game losing streak and still healing from a school shooting that claimed the life of one of its assistant coaches last fall, has a new head coach.
Kevin Saunders, who holds a 191-113-2 career record, was approved by the Barrow County school board Tuesday evening.
Saunders will succeed Mike Hancock, who resigned last month to focus on grief counseling. Apalachee’s defensive coordinator, Ricky Aspinwall was among those killed in a Sept. 4 school shooting.
Apalachee canceled its next two games but took the field again Sept. 28 and played its final six contests.
Saunders, most recently Duluth’s defensive coordinator, has been a head coach in four states, mostly notably his native Virginia, where he won a 2011 state championships at Gretna High.
Saunders came to Georgia in 2014 and elevated struggling programs at Cross Keys, Pebblebrook and Gilmer.
“That’s my reputation, taking over schools that seem to have bad luck and build them a football program,” Saunders told the AJC.
Saunders was Pebblebrook’s head coach from 2015 to 2019. His record was 20-23 with three playoff berths at a school that was 9-31 the previous four seasons. Then in 2019, he inherited a 31-game losing streak at Gilmer and went 4-6 the first season
Saunders has been an assistant the past four seasons. He was the Gwinnett County Touchdown Club’s assistant coach of the year in 2023.
“It’s a chance to be a head coach again,” Saunders said. “I want to go out of my career as I began, as a head coach. It’s also a sleeping giant over there. I think they should be good. Everything’s in order to be good – a strong community, a strong administration and the want to do well.”
Saunders also acknowledged the unique challenge at Apalachee and a football program that endured an unprecedented in-season school tragedy. Two teachers and two students were killed.
Saunders complimented the administration and the previous coaching staff for finishing the season.
“The school needs some normalcy,” Saunders said. “Everything they’re doing there is positive, and I think everybody just needs a normal high school day and a normal high school year to get through. A good football program will help. Athletics as a whole in that situation can help heal a school.”
Apalachee confirmed the news on its Facebook page.
“We are very excited to welcome Coach Saunders to the Chee Nation,‘’ principal Jessica Rehberg said in the release. ”He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and ideas to the position, but he is also focused on continuing Apalachee traditions. This fall, I am confident he, his staff, and our team will be ringing that bell."
The school will have a meet-and-greet with the new coach at its auxiliary gymnasium Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
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