Coach Carousel: Busy offseason at Dublin (Hope, McLendon ...), a return to FPD, around CGA (Grube, Gay, Williams, Howell)
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Dublin has new bosses all over the place, in part because of the financial issues from fiscal mismanagement and shortfalls plaguing the district.
Two departures have Central Georgia ties other than Dublin.
Boys basketball head coach Carlos Hope, who came to Dublin after a quality run at Washington County, is now at Burke County as head coach.
Josh McLendon left ACE Charter as the athletics director, baseball coach, and softball coach in April of 2025 to go Dublin as the high school AD, head softball coach, and assistant baseball coach. He resigned in May for teaching and coaching positions at Houston County High.
Softball assistant Stephanie Stubbs has moved up to replace McLendon in the AD spot.
Head football coach – and district athletics director – Roger Holmes lost his son to Lamar County as offensive coordinator, Don Vandygriff to Jeff Davis as defensive coordinator, Gary Morton to Treutlen administration, Jarius Evans to Peach County as defensive backs coach, and longtime Central Georgia coach Joel Ingram to Bowdon for offensive line and assistant head coach.
He was able to fill only two spots, Ryan Green (running backs) and Jake Brock (OTs/DTs/TEs).
The school promoted from within for both basketball jobs, with Cortez Chapman leading both the girls and boys teams, backed up by wife Asa Chapman.
Brian Young is an outsider who takes over both baseball and softball. Baseball coach Brian Brown left for the same job at Treutlen.
Griffin returns to FPD bench
After four seasons away, John Griffin is back.
The longtime coach has returned to FPD to take over the girls basketball program.
He succeeds Doug Wasden, who resigned in May for the top girls job at Ringgold, near Chattanooga. He took over the Vikings in 2022-23, and went – according to info provided to MaxPreps – 19-9, 25-4, 15-12, and 17-12.
Griffin is a John Hancock grad who has coached at his alma mater, GMC Prep, Georgia College, and in Bibb County public schools.
He succeeded Charley Chase for the 2015-16 season and went 65-81.
Around Central Georgia
Former Westside boys basketball coach Josh Grube is back in action, a little father from home than he expected.
The longtime head Seminole and Houston County resident has joined the boys basketball staff under second-year head coach Dylan Dupree. Jones County head girls coach Takeo Gray, who was a girls assistant at Westside during Grube’s successful run with the boys program. …
West Laurens offensive coordinator Gabe Gay is the new head football coach at Montgomery County, while Piedmont assistant Anthony Williams has taken over at Locust Grove. Matt Janufka has been promoted to replace Gay as OC.
Westside assistant Howard Jordan is the new football boss at Groves. …
Former Dublin multi-sport standout – and owner of an Irish state championship football ring – Thomas Barnes has joined the Trinity Christian football staff in a part-time role. …
Veteran Central Georgia football coach Tommy Howell is the latest addition of substantial experience to Barney Hester’s staff at Tattnall.
Howell is back in the game after a few years as the transportation director for Dublin schools.
The Toombs County grad has degrees from Brewton-Parker and Georgia College, and started his coaching career near home, with two years at Robert Toombs and then two at Toombs County. He then coached at East Laurens, Dublin, Wayne County, Washington County, Warner Robins, and GMC Prep.
Hester pulled off a huge coup a few months ago with the addition of Mark Farriba, who went 216-x-x at FPD, Prince Avenue Christian, and Stratford (twice), plucking him from the offensive line duties at ACE Charter.
That trio along with Jeff Ward gives Tattnall nearly 150 years of coaching experience.
The 2026-27 carousel (New ‘year’ starts on July 1)
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2025-26
👉 June 18: A busy Central Georgia coaching carousel spins: Baldwin, Upson-Lee, FPD, Perry
👉 May 8: Perry picks experienced football assistant for basketball; other hoops moves (Westside, Wilkinson County)
👉 May 8: Life began getting more difficult and crowded, and then Denny Bryant faced a health issue: “The good Lord is just telling me ..."
👉 April 23: Wilkinson County announces football hire
👉 April 16: BOOM! Mark Farriba joining Barney Hester's staff at Tattnall, bringing together Central Georgia football legends
👉 April 15: Winkles takes over at Upson-Lee (and brings his guitar); Gillhouse leaves Jones County wrestling; Dublin makes girls hoops move; Around Central Georgia (Windsor, Peach County)
👉🏼 April 6: Coaching carousel: ACE taps veteran Greene; Gainous departs Perry; Dodge County's Hamilton retires; Around Central Georgia
👉🏼 March 31: Coaching carousel: Peach County girls basketball, Dublin football, Twiggs County football, Mount de Sales basketball
👉🏼 March 19: Upson-Lee has jobs, jobs, jobs open: Lockhart retires, Elder and Kirksey leaving for new gigs
👉🏼 March 12: Moving on: Westside's Grube and Roberson; Moving back in: Mount de Sales' Slocum
👉🏼 March 10: Job filled: Jasper County snags veteran Pinkins as new head football coach
👉🏼 March 6: After years of waiting, Belflower gets the call to be head coach, taking over at Central Fellowship
👉🏼 March 4: Job filled/help wanted: Central Fellowship taps ACE's Whetsel as new athletics director
👉🏼 Feb. 20: Central Georgia carousel: Cummings returns to take over football at Southwest
👉🏼 Feb. 12: From Macon to Montezuma, Risper lands at Macon County
👉🏼 Feb. 6: More spinning of The Carousel: Washington County has a new head coach; Jasper County loses Henderson to East Jackson
👉🏼 Feb. 5: Coaching Carousel: Mount de Sales' Yates moves back to Memphis in unique situation; Macon County makes another change
👉🏼 Jan. 17: Westside has a new head football coach
👉🏼 Jan. 14: Central Fellowship’s Walls stepping down from several jobs for one with the family business
👉🏼 Jan. 14: Dupree leaving Southwest, his alma mater, after 13 years for top job at familiar McDonough
👉🏼Dec. 19: Familiar face - Jamoski Ward - to take over at Central
👉🏼 Nov. 4: First HS football coaching casualty of 2025: Central's Laws on-field successes minimal, but off-field progress notable
👉🏼 May 27: Westside’s Risper announces resignation after the 2025 season