Georgia high school football: 8 new teams take lead in Improvement Tracker

Only Hart County and coach Biff Parson in Class 3A kept their lead in the Improvement Tracker after the Week 5 games.

New at the top of their classifications this week are Newton (Josh Skelton), East Paulding (Van Spence), Tucker (Lonnie Jones), Peach County (Marquis Westbrook), Heard County (Shane Lasseter), Taylor County (Jess DeVoursney), Lovett (Mike Muschamp) and Windsor Academy (Dylan Bass).

AJC Varsity/GHSF Daily will rank the top five teams and their head coaches in each classification weekly based on improvement in the computer Maxwell Ratings from previous seasons and beating preseason expectations.

ExploreA familiar face in south Fulton has sparked Westlake’s best start in decades

To qualify for the final standings, teams must have a winning record, make the playoffs and improve on their playoff advancement or seeding from 2025. Only teams with winning records are included in the weekly or final rankings.

The Improvement Tracker is based on an objective formula that uses current and historical Maxwell Ratings. Improvement from 2025 counts most, but the formula also considers previous years to discourage rewarding traditionally strong teams that simply bounce back from a down year.

The year-end winners will receive awards, presented by Formetco, at the Georgia Football Coaches Association College Coaches Luncheon in February in Macon.

Class 7A

+14.45 - Newton (Josh Skelton)
+8.93 - Brookwood (Chad Nighbert)
+8.13 - Westlake (Kevin Whitley)
+7.49 - Harrison (Luqman Salam)
+5.65 - Peachtree Ridge (Matt Helmerich)

Class 6A

+23.25 - East Paulding (Van Spence)
+12.33 - Lee County (Dean Fabrizio)
+9.14 - Coffee (Mike Coe)
+9.03 - Lassiter (Sean Thom)
+8.60 - Bradwell Institute (John Adams)

Class 5A

+10.49 - Tucker (Lonnie Jones)
+9.43 - Dalton (Chris Prewett)
+5.81 - Blessed Trinity (Ed Dudley)
+4.35 - Richmond Academy (Keenan Grissett)
+2.82 - Ola (Dustin Adkins)

Class 4A

+8.62 - Peach County (Marquis Westbrook)
+7.96 - Monroe Area (Kevin Reach)
+7.91 - Troup (Tanner Glisson)
+5.06 - Woodland (Stockbridge) (Robert Cummings)
+4.42 - Cairo (David Coleman)

Class 3A

+10.03 - Hart County (Biff Parson)
+6.22 - Toombs County (Buddy Martin)
+4.49 - KIPP Atlanta Collegiate (Corey Jarvis)
+1.20 - Hephzibah (Daniel Dorsey)
+1.08 - Murray County (Jason Allen)

Class 2A

+10.23 - Heard County (Shane Lasseter)
+9.27 - Utopian Academy (Darius Redman)
+7.38 - Model (Jeff Hunnicutt)
+5.56 - Bleckley County (Von Lassiter)
+4.35 - Bremen (Davis Russell)

Class A

+6.02 - Taylor County (Jess DeVoursney)
+2.81 - Randolph-Clay (Charles Pruitt)
+2.70 - Treutlen (Alan Shurling)
+1.97 - Baconton Charter (Jermaine King)
+1.94 - Montgomery County (Gabe Gay)

Class 4A-2A Private

+9.95 - Lovett (Mike Muschamp)
+7.25 - Holy Innocents’ (Nick Perrotta)
+4.29 - Mt. Bethel Christian (Damon Dawson)
+3.52 - Greater Atlanta Christian (Tim Hardy)
+2.51 - King’s Ridge Christian (Mark Buchanan)

GIAA

+8.98 - Windsor Academy (Dylan Bass)
+6.88 - Athens Christian (Terance Mathis)
+3.22 - Edmund Burke Academy (Andy Woodard)
+3.11 - Strong Rock Christian (Brad Bowles)
+2.31 - Calvary Christian (Emmanuel Brunson)

About the Author

Is Buford’s rise a mirage? Wolves fall 3 spots in predicted PSR playoff seeding

This is the first season the GHSA has used a ratings formula to seed every state playoff bracket.

AJC VARSITY

Maxwell summary shuffles top teams; new No. 1 has state’s highest-rated offense.

Throughout the 2026 Georgia high school football season, Maxwell Ratings will rank the 463 teams of the GHSA, GIAA and GAPPS.

Westlake’s offensive line paves path for 751 yards in high-scoring victory

Westlake is 5-0, averaging 50.4 points per game, 323.8 yards rushing, 250.2 yards passing. Westlake's offensive line is the AJC Varsity/GHSF Daily Offensive Line of the Week.

The Latest