McCrory tabs Mountain Home assistant Brandon Godfrey as head football coach

By Kyle Sutherland 

The search for McCrory’s next head football coach is over. Mountain Home assistant Brandon Godfrey will now lead the defending Class 2A state champions.

Godfrey spent last season coaching Mountain Home’s defensive line and helped the Bombers to the Class 5A state playoffs, where they knocked off Sylvan Hills 21-14 before falling to eventual state runner-up Greenwood. The Salem native also spent four years on Magnet Cove’s staff along with two seasons at Glenbrook School in Minden, La. 

After leaving Magnet Cove following the 2020 season, Godfrey made it a goal for Mountain Home to be his final job as an assistant before taking the next step up to lead his own team.

“After this, I was looking to get a head coaching job,” Godfrey said. “I was a little bit familiar with the McCrory School District because they were in our conference when I was in high school, and we also played them a couple of times when I was coaching at Magnet Cove. They are a tough football team and this town loves football.”

McCrory won its second state title this past December led by alum Chris Kennon, who also won the program’s first championship with the Jaguars in 2015. Kennon stepped down in late March to pursue other opportunities. 

There will be plenty of challenges for Godrfrey, especially considering the Jaguars are losing many of the 2021 contributors to graduation.

“To be fair, Coach Kennon left some really big shoes to fill,” Godfrey said. “He is a great coach and a better guy. As far as keeping the success going, those kids have had a taste of it. Even the underclassmen got a trip to Little Rock. They know what it is like and what it took to get there. Keeping that success train rolling is what I am really looking to do.”

Godfrey mentioned that being under Steve Ary’s tutelage at Mountain Home has been extremely beneficial and played a huge part in getting prepped for the next stage in his coaching career. Ary, who is in the Missouri Coaches Association Hall of Fame, has brought Mountain Home from a severely struggling program to a playoff contender.

“Coach Ary is a special dude,” Godfrey said. “It is just hard to put into words; the guy just knows football. His win-loss record speaks for itself and there is not a lot you can say about the guy except he just knows his football. He has done a wonderful job of teaching these guys what it takes to be successful.”

Ary’s defensive expertise was influential to Godfrey, but just as much was former University of Arkansas and NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett’s offensive knowledge. Mallett spent the past two seasons with the Bombers, including 2021 as offensive coordinator.

“Ryan Mallett, the guy is very offensive-minded, knows what he is doing, and he is a big-time leader,” Godfrey said. “Being around him, you just learn so much. That is two people — Ryan Mallett on offense and Coach Ary on defense — it is incredible seeing how the both have changed the culture at Mountain home.”

McCrory will move from the 2A-3 conference to the 2A-2 for the 2022-24 conference cycle, joining Clarendon, Cross County, Des Arc, Earle, East Poinsett County, Lee County and Marked Tree. Godfrey fully understands the task ahead and his enthusiasm is evident. 

“There is nobody more excited in Woodruff County to be a McCrory Jaguar than me,” Godfrey said. “I want to continue to have success and I am ready to get going.”