As we enter the 2026 football season, it’s always a MUST to see who will lead each team on the gridiron this season. After several new coaches last season took over, this year we see ZERO newbies.

Here are the coaches leading the programs, and their respective track records (order by number of seasons).

Rance Gillespie – Rabun County Wildcats

24 Seasons // 2nd Year at Rabun County

Total Record: 180-94

2025: 10-3, State Quarterfinals

All Stops (5)
Rabun County: 10-3 (2025-Present [1 year])
Brookstone: 23-13 (2022-24 [3 years])
Hart County: 28-27 (2017-21 [5 years])
Valdosta: 49-20 (2010-15 [6 years])
Peach County: 65-16 (2001-06 [6 years])
Banks County: 5-15 (1999-00 [2 years])

Playoffs: 21 Appearances (35-19); 2 State Championships (2005, 2006); 2 State Runner-Up (2003, 2023); 2 Semifinals (2022, 2024); 4 Quarterfinals (2004, 2010, 2019, 2025)

Region Titles: 5 [2011, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003]

All-State Players: 56

Outlook: Rance Gillespie’s pedigree is excellent. The 2-time State Championship coach and 2-time Runner-Up is a Rabun alum, and got the Wildcats to another Quarterfinals in his first season. He’s 19th among active coaches in total wins, and will have a young and inexperienced skill position core to work with, but a steady defense in 2026.

Travis Noland – Jefferson Dragons

22 Seasons in GA (29 Overall) // 5th Year at Jefferson

BLITZ Legendary Coach

Total Record: 188-67 in GA; 234-99 overall

2025: 13-2 (Region 8-AAA Champions), State Runner-Up

All Stops (5)
Jefferson: 45-10 (2022-Present [4 years])
Oconee County: 70-27 (2014-21 [8 years])
Stephens County: 73-30 (2005-13 [9 years])
Tuscola (NC): 17-6 (2003-04 [2 years])
Clyde Erwin (NC): 29-26 (1998-02 [5 years])

Playoffs: 20 Appearances [25 Overall] (30-25); 1 Quarterfinal runs in GA & NC [’05]; 1 Semifinals Run (’23), 4 State Championship Appearances [’19, ’20, ’24, ’25]

Region Titles: 10 [2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2015, 2007, 2006, 2005]

All-State Players: 61

Outlook: Noland eclipsed 200 career wins in 2023, and in 2024 reached his third state championship game. He did it again in 2025. He ranks sixth among active coaches in wins, and has 4-star LB Max Brown and a stellar defensive group coming back in 2026. The Dragons will make a leap going to Class 5A, and will need to replace nearly all of its offensive production.

Heath Webb – Lumpkin County Indians

17 Seasons // 5th Year at Lumpkin Co

Total Record: 94-80

2025: 6-5, State Rnd 1

All Stops (4)
Lumpkin Co: 33-13 (2022-Present [4 years])
Gainesville: 18-25 (2018-2021 [4 years])
Winder-Barrow: 26-19 (2014-2017 [4 years])
North Paulding: 17-23 (2008-2011 [4 years])

Playoffs: 11 Appearances (3-11); 1 Quarterfinal (2024)

Region Titles: 1 [2023]

All-State Players: 22

Outlook: Webb has to replace program elite talent Nolan Matthews, but has some stellar receivers back. A chunk of the team might be gone, but look out for emerging QB Kolson Howell to be the next best thing for the Indians.

Benji Harrison – Habersham Central Raiders

15 Seasons // 12th Year at Habersham

Total Record: 58-90

2025: 7-4, Region 8-AAAAA Runner-Up, State Rnd 1

All Stops (2)
Habersham Central: 46-70 (2015-Present [11 years])
Jackson Co: 12-20 (2012-14 [3 years])

Playoffs: 7 Appearances (1-7)

Region Titles: 0

All-State Players: 17

Outlook: Harrison has now been at Habersham Central for 12 years, officially passing the legendary Larry Black as the longest-tenured football coach in Raiders history. He brings back star QB Paris Wilbanks and a slew of wideouts back, and the defense is largely intact. For a second straight year, this is a team that comes in with region title aspirations.

Jason Roquemore – Towns County Indians

15 Seasons // 8th Year at Towns Co

Total Record: 38-100

2025: 7-3, No Playoffs

All Stops (2)
Towns Co: 22-46 (2019-Present [7 years])
Johnson: 16-54 (2012-18 [7 years])

Playoffs: 0 Appearances

Region Titles: 0

All-State Players: 3

Outlook: Roquemore is fresh off leading the Indians to its best season in school history. Gone are several key players, but look out for RB Alex Baert and athlete Sam Sarafin to make some noise.

Lenny Gregory – Commerce Tigers

12 Seasons // 2nd Year at Commerce

Total Record: 65-61

2025: 2-8, No Playoffs

All Stops (4)
Commerce: 2-8 (2025-Present [1 year])
Gordon Central: 4-17 (2023-24 [2 years])
Collins Hill: 46-28 (2017-22 [6 years])
Centennial: 13-8 (2015-16 [2 years])

Playoffs: 7 Appearances (9-6); 1 State Runner-Up (2020), 1 State Championship (2021)

Region Titles: 2 (2021, 2020)

All-State Players: 13

Outlook: Gregory’s first season didn’t play out the way most hoped in the win column, but a brand new lineup full of underclassmen while implementing a new offensive system after decades and decades of the same is to blame. Those growing pains now have the Tigers looking sharp coming into 2026. Don’t underestimate what this team can do.

Rob Stowe – Union County Panthers

12 Seasons // 2nd Year at Union

Total Record: 60-64

2025: 3-7, No Playoffs

All Stops (4)
Union County: 3-7 (2025-Present [1 year])
Wilcox County: 50-24 (2019-24 [6 years])
Gilmer: 7-33 (2003-06 [4 years])

Playoffs: 6 Appearances (8-6); 1 Semifinals (2021), 1 Quarterfinals (2022)

Region Titles: 2 (2022, 2021)

All-State Players: 13

Outlook: Rob Stowe’s first season at Union was full of adversity, as handfuls of starters faced injuries that derailed and ended their seasons. This will pay off in the long run, and the team is actually full of returning standouts that IF they stay healthy could have one of the biggest turnarounds in our area.

Mark Hollars – Banks County Leopards

10 Seasons // 2nd Year at Banks (1st official)

Total Record: 53-46

2025: 0-9, took over 1 game into season

All Stops (3)
Banks County: 0-9 (2025-Present [1 year])
Commerce: 23-12 (2021-Present [3 years])
North Cobb Christian: 30-25 (2016-2020 [5 years])

Playoffs: 6 Appearances (6-6); 2 Quarterfinals appearances [2023, 2018]

Region Titles: 1 [2023]

All-State Players: 14

Outlook: Hollars had to take over in quite a wild season in which Todd Winter was removed from the head coaching job just one game into the campaign. Banks County was certainly better after that, but it was adjusting on the fly. The Leopards hope a full offseason will give Hollars more of an opportunity to turn things around in Homer.

Jaybo Shaw – Dawson County Tigers

8 Seasons // 2nd Year at Dawson

Total Record: 58-27

2025: 4-6, No Playoffs

All Stops (4)
Dawson County: 4-6 (2025-Present [1 year])
Greenville (SC): 2-9 (24 [1 year])
Wayne County: 17-7 (2022-23 [2 years])
Rabun County: 35-5 (2019-21 [3 years])

Playoffs: 6 Appearances (9-6); 3 Quarterfinals (2019, 2021, 2022), 1 Semifinals (2020)

Region Titles: 3 (2021, 2020, 2019)

All-State Players: 14

Outlook: Jaybo Shaw had a solid first year at Dawson, all things considered. The young, inexperienced Tigers improved a lot. Cody McBrayer is coming back at RB, and the offense should be humming this fall!

Chad Bennett – White Co Warriors

5 Seasons // 5th Year at White Co

Total Record: 15-26

2025: 3-7, No Playoffs

All Stops (1)
White Co: 15-26 (2022-Present [4 years])

Playoffs: 1 Appearance (0-1)

Region Titles: 0

All-State Players: 7

Outlook: Another QB change is going to highlight Bennett’s fifth season at White County. He does have incredible talent, primarily at WR with Gaines Clark and Zach Godfrey back for one more ride. Look out for youngsters Brinn Robinson, Jack Clark, and Savion Anderson.

Chuck Holland – Franklin County Lions

4 Seasons // 4th Year at Franklin

Total Record: 11-20

2025: 7-4, State Rnd 1

All Stops (1)
Franklin County: 11-20 (2024-Present [3 years])

Playoffs: 1 Appearance (0-1)

Region Titles: 0

All-State Players: 2

Outlook: Chuck Holland had his best season over the program in 2025, and returns a lot of key pieces and some young guys who will look to step into the spotlight.

Thomas Flowers – Stephens County Indians

2 Seasons // 2nd Year at Stephens

Total Record: 6-6

2025: 6-6, State Rnd 2

All Stops (1)
Stephens County: 6-6 (2025-Present [1 year])

Playoffs: 1 Appearance (1-1)

Region Titles: 0

All-State Players: 2

Outlook: Thomas Flowers’ first season went really well, as he had to rebuild a lot on both sides of the ball. Young guys like Branson Stowe and Dallas Hogue improved throughout, and Duke Collins and Morris Perkins are the veterans coming back to lead the team.

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