Georgia HS football coaching changes: Pace Academy promotes offensive line coach

Pace Academy has found its next head coach in its longtime offensive line coach, Kevin Johnson. 

Johnson played offensive line at the University of South Carolina before starting to coaching the position at Pace Academy. Johnson coached several elite talents headlined by Miami Dolphins guard Jamaree Salyer and former No. 4 overall pick Andrew Thomas.

Johnson aims to resurrect an offense that averaged just 12.7 points per game last season. The Knights haven't had a winning season since 2022 and haven't won a playoff game since their state championship season in 2015.

Justin Elder has stepped down as Upson-Lee's head coach after nine seasons leading the program.

Elder compiled a career record of 51-48 and led the Knights to six state playoff appearances and three playoff wins. Upson-Lee had just three playoff wins in its 25 years before Elder was hired.

Elder also coached several Power 4 college players, headlined by former No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Travon Walker. Elder's best season came in 2023, when the Knights went 9-3 and made the second round of the playoffs.

Elder played quarterback at nearby Mary Persons and worked as an assistant coach there before taking an assistant role at Upson-Lee.

Upson-Lee is searching for the 11th head coach in program history.

Montgomery County has found a new head coach, according to the school’s website.

Former West Laurens offensive coordinator Gabe Gay took his first head coaching job, and he will lead the Eagles into 2026. Gay also previously coached at East Laurens, Jeff Davis and Montgomery, according to his school profile.

Charlton County announced former Taylor County coach Brandon Byram as the new leader of its program this week.

Bryam led Taylor County for four seasons. He was hired to turn around a program that went 3-6 the year before he arrived, and the Vikings had consecutive seven-win seasons the last two years.

Charlton County is coming off a 6-6 season that ended in the second round of the playoffs. The Indians have reached the postseason the last five years, highlighted by an 8-3 region championship season in 2022.

Jasper County has hired former South Carolina quarterback Dondrial Pinkins, who was previously the head coach at Mitchell County.

Pinkins has been a head coach in Georgia since 2009, when he started his first stint at Mitchell County. He won a region title in 2010 before leaving in 2011. He coached Pelham from 2015 to 2020, winning three more region championships.

Pinkins returned to Mitchell County in 2021 and compiled a 46-39 record over the last three seasons.

Pinkins will take over a Jasper County program that is fresh off a 10-2 season, its best record since 1992. The Hurricanes also won their first playoff game in 33 years last season.

Brantley County announced this week that it has hired former Pierce County defensive coordinator Matt Hickox as its next head coach.

Hickox graduated from Brantley County in 2008. He started coaching as an assistant for Pierce County in 2016 and worked his way up to the defensive coordinator position.

The Bears won six region titles and two state championships in Hickox's time there. His defense averaged just over 14 points allowed per game last season and pitched three shutouts, including a 44-0 win over Brantley County.

Brantley County is coming off an 0-10 season. The Blue Herons haven't finished with a winning record since 2016.

Kenneth Miller has stepped down as head coach at Arabia Mountain to take the same position at Washington, he confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Miller coached at Arabia Mountain the last two seasons, leading the Rams to a combined 4-16 record. 

Before that, he coached Tri-Cities for a decade. Miller left Tri-Cities with a 46-58-1 record. His best season came in 2011, when the Bulldogs went 10-3 and made the state quarterfinals.

Taylor County announced on March 13 that it had hired Jess Devoursney as its new football coach, replacing Brandon Byram, who had been the coach since 2022.

Southwest-Macon tabbed former Twiggs County coach Roderick Cummings to lead its program in 2026.

Cummings leaves Twiggs County after two seasons, the last of which ended with an 0-10 record. Twiggs County was the eighth-smallest football-playing high school in Georgia last season with a total enrollment number of 228.

Cummings led Twiggs County to two of its six wins in the last nine seasons combined.

He'll take over at a Southwest program that was led by former coach Joe Dupree for the last 13 years. Dupree left Southwest for the same role at McDonough in January.

The Patriots have had three winning seasons in the last decade. They have made four playoff trips during that stretch, falling in the first round each time.

The Bradwell Institute has hired John Adams, a former state champion head coach at Cedar Grove. 

Adams made his name as a coach in the Atlanta area, served as defensive backs coach at Georgia State University and played for Southwest DeKalb in high school.

FULL STORY HERE.