Three football coaches at small schools move on

Three football coaches who had breakthrough seasons at smaller programs last year have moved on this offseason, each with a different story.

McIntosh County Academy, a coastal school that was the 2016 Class A public-school runner-up, promoted defensive coordinator Terel Toomer last week to replace Robby Robinson, who was forced out amid charges of hazing.

Robinson, who inherited an 0-10 team in 2015 and finished 10-3 two seasons later, was indicted on two misdemeanors and a felony for allegedly allowing football players to tackle a defenseless player in a preseason practice.

With Toomer running the defense, McIntosh County Academy allowed 12.5 points per game last season.

In Savannah, Tim Adams has resigned from Jenkins, which he led to its first region title in the program’s 60-year history, and will join Effingham County’s staff as defensive coordinator. Adams was 63-70-1 in 13 seasons at Jenkins, which surged to 10-2 in 2016 and won Region 3-AAA.

Bryan County hired Taylor County coach Mark Wilson, Bryan County’s coach from 2010-14, to replace Allen Cartwright. Wilson led Taylor County to a 10-2 finish, the school’s best record since 1998. Wilson took the Taylor County job to be closer to his ill father, who died in November 2015.

The jobs at Taylor County and Jenkins remain open, along with those at Central-Macon, Early County, Forest Park, Holy Innocents’, Kell, Lithonia, Osborne, Randolph-Clay, Strong Rock Christian, Twiggs County and West Forsyth.

There have been 92 reported openings among GHSA schools this offseason.

West Laurens hires coach: West Laurens has promoted defensive coordinator Kagan McClain, a Norcross graduate, to replace Stacy Nobles, who left to become an assistant athletic director and assistant coach at Bleckley County under Von Lassiter. McClain has been at West Laurens since 2010 and previously assisted at Americus-Sumter. West Laurens has made playoff appearances each of the past three seasons, the program’s best run since 1994-96.

Northgate promotes coordinator: Northgate has promoted offensive coordinator Kesley Dalrymple to replace Tommy Walburn, who retired. Dalrymple has been with Northgate since 2010. He coached previously at Troup and Crisp County, also under Walburn. All five Coweta County schools that play football hired new coaches. Chip Walker went from Sandy Creek to Newnan. John Small went from South Gwinnett to East Coweta. Trinity Christian of the GISA hired Eagle’s Landing Christian assistant Kenny Dallas. Heritage School hired Micah Alba.

Brooks in at Whitefield Academy: Whitefield Academy has hired Courtney Brooks, who was Dwight Howard’s high school coach at Southwest Atlanta Christian, to replace Tyrone Johnson as boys basketball coach. Johnson led Whitefield Academy to 369 victories, three state championships (2003, 2009, 2012) and eight championship games in his 15 seasons. He will remain at Whitefield Academy in an administrative role. Brooks most recently was an assistant at Banneker. He was SACA’s head coach from 2001-08 and won state titles with Howard in 2004 and Javaris Crittenton in 2006, each time defeating Whitefield Academy in the Class A championship game. Brooks and Johnson have remained friends since.