Brookwood promoted defensive coordinator Chad Nighbert to head football coach Tuesday, and Veterans in Houston County hired Steve DeVoursney, a former Cairo coach also known for winning a state title at Griffin in 2013.
Nighbert served as Brookwood’s interim coach from the third game into the playoffs last season as head coach Philip Jones, in his 10th season at his alma mater, took time away for health reasons.
Brookwood, a Gwinnett County school, finished 7-4 and did not renew Jones' contract.
Nighbert grew up in Germany and came to Georgia to play linebacker at Georgia Southern, where he became an All-America linebacker.
He came to Brookwood last season as serving as defensive coordinator at Colquitt County. He has worked on staffs at Effingham County, Savannah, Southeast Bulloch, Screven County and Jones County.
Brookwood plays in Region 7-6A, finished as the region’s No. 2 seed in 2024 and lost to West Forsyth in the first round of the playoffs.
DeVoursney has a 182-68 record as a head coach at Griffin (2000-13) and Cairo (2015-21).
Veterans is coming off a 1-9 finish under Josh Ingram in Class 5A.
Houston County Schools also Tuesday approved the hiring of former Hughes coach Daniel Williams to Northside. Williams confirmed to the AJC that he was taking the job Monday.
Here are all reported coach openings and hirings this offseason:
Alpharetta - Jason Kervin
Banneker - Braxton Kelly
Berrien - Ken Eldridge
Brookwood - Philip Jones (Chad Nighbert)
Calvary Day – Mark Stroud (Hired Jason Cameron)
Cedar Grove - Roderick Moore
Cedar Shoals - Leroy Ryals
Cedartown - Jamie Abrams
Central Gwinnett - Larry Harold (Hired Terrance Banks)
Chattahoochee County - Bruce Figgins
Commerce - Mark Hollars (Hired Lenny Gregory)
Crisp County – Lawrence Smith
Dalton - Kit Carpenter (Hired Chris Prewett)
Dawson County - Sid Maxwell (Hired Jaybo Shaw)
Elbert County - Shannon Jarvis (Hired Andy Dyer)
Emanuel County Institute - Chris Kearson
Etowah - Matt Kemper (Hired Brett Vavra)
Flowery Branch – Jason Tester (Hired Michael Perry)
Gordon Central - Lenny Gregory
Greene County - Terrance Banks
Grovetown - Cory Barnes
Heritage (Ringgold) - E.K. Slaughter (Hired Jeremy New)
Hughes: Daniel Williams
Josey – Lawrence Pinkney
KIPP Atlanta Collegiate – James Briscoe
Lithia Springs - Corey Jarvis
*Loganville - Gene Cathcart/Stephen Smith
Luella - Craig Coleman
Marietta - Richard Morgan
Meadowcreek - Todd Wofford (Hired Johnny Burdette)
Mount Paran Christian - Matt Ely
Murray County - Kurt Napier
Norcross - Keith Maloof (Hired Corey Richardson)
Northside-Warner Robins - Ben Bailey (Hired Daniel Williams)
Northview - Scott Schwarzer
Pace Academy - Nick Bach
Parkview - Joe Sturdivant
Pelham - Leonard Guyton
Roswell - Chris Prewett
Savannah Country Day - Roc Batten (Hired Joey Blackmore)
Schley County - Darren Alford
South Forsyth - Troy Morris
Southeast Whitfield - Todd Murray
Sprayberry - Brett Vavra
Union County - Michael Perry
Veterans - Josh Ingram (Steve DeVoursney)
Washington – Justin Rivers
Westminster – Gerry Romberg
*Smith replaced Cathcart in midseason as interim coach.
