Longtime North Georgia coach, who also started East Forsyth’s program, dies

“He was a tremendous person, and I’ll miss him greatly,” Webb said. “Last week was tough, but we feel we honored him well with the way we played.”

Allison was a head coach at Union County, his alma mater, for two stints — 1996-2001 and 2008-20 — and compiled a 121-77 record with high-scoring teams that challenged state records for passing.

Former Union County wide receiver Blake Gowder, a 2010 graduate, still ranks fourth all-time in career receiving yards in Georgia with 4,002, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association.

Former quarterbacks Joseph Mancuso and Kolt Owenby ranked in the top 15 in career passing yards when each graduated. Allison’s son, Pierson, once threw for 490 yards in a game.

In 2019, Allison told Georgia High School Football Daily: “Living in the mountains is different than being in Atlanta or even in Gainesville. Blairsville is a small community. The other thing is that when you coach at a place you’ve played, you put just a little more into what you’re doing. You take just a little more pride because you want to see that place be successful.”

Allison left his hometown in 2021 to start East Forsyth’s program and produced the school’s first winning season in his second year and first playoff appearance in his third.

The Friday night game brought together Allison’s final two teams. Lumpkin County won 42-35 after a fourth-down stop at midfield.

Allison’s family will meet with guests Saturday at the Union County Fine Arts Center beginning at 10 a.m. The service will begin at 2 p.m.