Georgia high school football coaching changes: Two interim coaches hired

Chad Garrison resigned from his position as St. Pius X's head football coach this week. 

Garrison led St. Pius X for five years. He was the Golden Lions' offensive line coach for 20 years before that. 

St. Pius X went 6-4 last season. They were 31-25 all-time under Garrison. 

Garrison's first season leading the Golden Lions was his best, as they went 9-3 and won his only region championship. He was named Region 5-5A Coach of the Year that season. 

St. Pius X football coach Chad Garrison resigns from ‘labor of love’

“I never had to work a day in my 26 years here,” Garrison said. “It has always been truly a labor of love, and I have enjoyed every minute.”

Banks County and Windsor Forest didn't have to look far for their next head coaches. Both hired the coaches that took over during the season. 

Banks County hired Mark Hollars, who joined the staff in 2025 after a four-year stint as Commerce's head coach. Hollars' Tigers were 8-4 when he parted ways with Commerce. 

Hollars has his work cut out for him at Banks County, which went 0-9 this season. Hollars was promoted to head coach, with no interim tag, immediately after former coach Todd Winter was fired. 

Windsor Forest hired interim coach Cam Turner to lead the Knights next season. Windsor Forest is on a three-game winning streak, earning a 4-6 record.

Turner County is looking for a new head coach after a 2-7 season. The Titans were 3-16 under former head coach Demario Barber the last two years. 

Turner County hasn't had a winning season in four years. The Titans had seven consecutive seasons above .500 from 2015 to 2021. 

Turner County hired Barber, a former Titan himself, in January 2024. Barber served as a defensive backs coach for Irwin County before taking the head job at his alma mater.

Central-Macon is making a leadership change after three rough seasons under former coach Jarrett Laws.

The Chargers went 1-29 in Laws' three seasons, including an 0-10 finish to this season. Central-Macon thanked Laws for his commitment to the program Tuesday night on X. 

"Thank you Jarrett Laws (@CoachLaws00) for your unwavering commitment over the past 3 seasons. Your dedication and guidance have had a significant and lasting impact both on and off the field. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors," the post said.

Central-Macon was Laws' fifth head coaching job in Georgia. Laws also coached at Mount Zion-Jonesboro, Drew, Griffin and Salem before taking over at Central in 2023. Laws' best season came in 2014 at Griffin, when he led the Bears to an 11-1 season and a region championship.

Fannin County is in the market for new leadership after longtime head coach Chad Cheatham retired, according to Georgia High School Sports Daily.

Cheatham led the Rebels to a 59-32 record in his eight seasons at the helm. Fannin County won three region titles, including a 12-1 finish to 2024. 

Cheatham took over at his alma mater in 2018. It was his first head coaching job, though technically, he had agreed to becoming Banks County's head coach three months earlier in that offseason. Cheatham was an assistant coach for 24 years before taking the head job at Fannin County.

John Poitevint has stepped down at Mountain View after a 1-9 season. 

RELATED: John Poitevint steps down as Mountain View head coach

The Bears were 17-46 in six years under Poitevint, who took over in 2020. Poitevint left his defensive coordinator role at Brookwood for his first head coaching job at Mountain View.

Mountain View made the playoffs three out of six years under Poitevint. The Bears were first-round exits in 2021, 2022 and 2023. 

Mountain View has been tasked with surviving in Region 8-6A, loaded with Gwinnett County powerhouses like Buford, Collins Hill and Mill Creek. The Bears went 3-9 in region play the last two seasons.

Former Ridgeland coach Craig Pritchett confirmed to the AJC on Tuesday that he has stepped down. 

Pritchett went 0-20 in his first two seasons at Ridgeland, went 1-9 in 2024 and finished the 2025 season 2-8. The Panthers had one region win in four seasons under Pritchett. 

Ridgeland had consecutive one-win seasons before Pritchett took over. 

Ridgeland is a program with its fair share of historic success. The Panthers won seven region championships between 2008 and 2019. 

Pritchett was the head coach at Brevard (N.C.) before he took the job at Ridgeland, his alma mater. Pritchett was also an assistant on Ridgeland's staff for 10 seasons before taking the Brevard job in 2015. Brevard hired Pritchett off a winless season and went 47-34 in his seven seasons there.

Former Salem coach Michael Johnson confirmed to the AJC on Tuesday that he has stepped down from his head coaching position. 

The Seminoles went 3-7 under Johnson, who finished his second season at Salem with a 50-0 loss to Columbia on Friday.

Johnson was Salem's offensive coordinator before taking the program over in 2024.

Salem is looking for its first winning season since 2018. The Seminoles haven't won a region championship since 2007.

Riverwood is looking for a new head coach after finishing 1-9 in Shawn Cahill's third season. 

RELATED: Riverwood football seeks new coach after 1-9 finish

The school released a statement announcing its new coaching search on Tuesday. 

The Raiders went 5-25 under Cahill in three seasons. Riverwood was a strong program not long ago, winning two region championships in three seasons under current Washington County coach Robert Edwards. 

Riverwood has two playoff wins in school history. The Raiders are searching for their sixth coach since 2016.