The football coach carousel is alive and well in Georgia

The coaching carousel is often one of the most eventful parts of the offseason, and this year was no exception. Many coaching changes were made in the aftermath of an exciting 2021 football season in Georgia. With the 2022 season quickly approaching, we have a refresher on some of the notable hires across the state.Gainesville - Josh NiblettThe third-winningest program in Georgia history made a huge splash with the hiring of Josh Niblett, who led national powerhouse Hoover (AL) for the past 14 years. Gainesville went 18-25 the last four years under Heath Webb and has not won a playoff game since the Bobby Miller era in 2015. Milton - Ben ReavesFollowing the departure of Adam Clack, who recently joined the coaching staff at UNC-Charlotte, Milton didn't have to look far for its next head man. Ben Reaves was promoted after five years as the Eagles' offensive coordinator. Reaves takes over a Milton squad which lost 11 players to the college ranks but returns enough talent to make some noise in 2022 and beyond. Colquitt County - Sean CalhounOne of the state's top programs over the past decade, Colquitt County brought back Sean Calhoun after Justin Rogers left for Thomas County Central. Calhoun was the Packers' offensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015 when they won back-to-back state championships. In 2016, Calhoun took over at Carrollton and led the Trojans to a 42-11 record over five years. Lowndes - Zach GrageIn six years as Thomasville’s head coach, Zach Grage led the Bulldogs to a record of 54-23, including three region titles and a trip to the Class 2A state championship game last season. Lowndes has won at least 10 games, including one in the playoffs, each of the past six seasons.Jefferson - Travis NolandIn a move which paired a storied program with an experienced coach, Jefferson hired Travis Noland away from Oconee County, where he had spent the last eight years. Noland has 20-plus years of experience as a head coach in Georgia and North Carolina. Washington County - Robert EdwardsFormer University of Georgia and NFL running back Robert Edwards led Riverwood to one of its best seasons in program history last year, and now he has returned to his alma mater. A 1993 graduate of Washington County, Edwards takes over a team that went 5-5 in 2021. Coffee - Mike CoeNew Coffee head coach Mike Coe might not be a familiar name for Georgians, but in Florida he is well known. Coe led Madison County (FL) to a record of 135-26 in 12 seasons, including four state titles. He takes over for Robby Pruitt, who had been at Coffee since 2012. Kell - Bobby MayBobby May comes off a short but successful stint as head coach at Westlake, where he led the Lions to a 27-10 record and two region titles in three seasons. May is the sixth head coach in the 20-year history of Kell, which hasn’t won a region title since 2014.Central Gwinnett - Larry HaroldHarold coached Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith during his tenure at Macon County and spent 2020 as an offensive analyst at the University of Tennessee. Now, he takes the helm at Central Gwinnett, which went 1-9 last year and has not had a winning season since 2015.Hebron Christian - Jonathan GessAfter a 15-year stint for Jonathan Gess as head coach at Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, where he led the team to 11 region titles and six state championships, Gess decided to take on a new challenge at Hebron Christian. The up-and-coming program in Gwinnett County has yet to win a region title in its 15-year history.Other notable moves:Lake Oconee Academy added former University of Florida head coach Dan Mullen to its staff as a “contributing resource”, according to a May report by Lake Oconee News. Johns Creek hired Drew Connell, former Milton defensive coordinator, after Matt Helmerich made the move to Peachtree Ridge.Jeremy Edwards, former Warner Robins offensive coordinator, took the head coaching job at Houston County.Milton added Terrence Edwards, a former standout at the University of Georgia and brother of Washington County head coach Robert Edwards, as wide receivers coach.Greenville named Alexander Ogletree, former UGA fullback, the program’s new head coach.Archer landed on Dante Hall, former Collins Hill offensive coordinator, as the program’s second head coach after Andy Dyer left for Elbert County.Seckinger, a new Gwinnett County school which will play its inaugural season in 2022, tabbed Aaron Hill as the program’s first head coach.