Coaches who improved their teams the most in 2011
Awards for state coaches of the year typically go to the head coach whose team wins the state championship. There’s nothing wrong with that, as a coach can’t do better than win a state title. But not enough credit goes to those coaches who make teams better from one season to the next.
Bryan Way at Warner Robins didn’t win a state title, but Warner Robins led the state in “victories improved” from 2010 to 2011, going from 2-8 to 11-3. Then there was Mark Wilson at Bryan County. His team went to 6-4 from 0-10.
Below is a list of 10 coaches in each classification who improved their teams. To be objective, we devised a formula to do it. The formula = (number of 2011 victories – number of 2010 victories) + (improvement in winning PCT x 10) + (number of 2011 playoff rounds – number of 2010 playoff rounds).
If it sounds complicated, don’t worry. We did the math.
Just trust that these 50 coaches deserve a raise.
| CLASS AAAAA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Team | Coach |
2010 |
2011 |
W+ |
Pct.+ |
Imp. |
| Walton | Rocky Hidalgo |
7-4 |
14-1 |
7 |
0.297 |
13.970 |
| Lassiter | Jep Irwin |
5-6 |
10-4 |
5 |
0.260 |
10.597 |
| Marietta | Scott Burton |
2-8 |
6-6 |
4 |
0.300 |
9.000 |
| Grayson | Mickey Conn |
10-4 |
15-0 |
5 |
0.286 |
8.857 |
| Benedictine | Danny Britt |
1-9 |
5-6 |
4 |
0.355 |
8.545 |
| West Forsyth | Frank Hepler |
7-4 |
11-2 |
4 |
0.210 |
8.098 |
| M.L. King | Michael Carson |
8-4 |
12-1 |
4 |
0.256 |
7.564 |
| Dacula | Jared Zito |
6-4 |
9-4 |
3 |
0.092 |
6.923 |
| Archer | Andy Dyer |
2-8 |
5-6 |
3 |
0.255 |
6.545 |
| Wheeler | Michael Collins |
1-9 |
4-6 |
3 |
0.300 |
6.000 |
| CLASS AAAA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Team | Coach |
2010 |
2011 |
W+ |
Pct.+ |
Imp |
| Warner Robins | Bryan Way |
2-8 |
11-3 |
9 |
0.586 |
18.857 |
| Northgate | Tommy Walburn |
5-5 |
11-1 |
6 |
0.417 |
12.167 |
| Alcovy | Kirk Hoffman |
1-9 |
6-5 |
5 |
0.445 |
10.455 |
| Bainbridge | Ed Pilcher |
3-7 |
8-3 |
5 |
0.427 |
10.273 |
| Johns Creek | Mike Cloy |
4-6 |
9-2 |
5 |
0.418 |
10.182 |
| Lovejoy | Al Hughes |
10-1 |
14-1 |
4 |
0.024 |
8.242 |
| Jonesboro | Timothy Floyd |
5-5 |
9-2 |
4 |
0.318 |
8.182 |
| Habersham | Stuart Cunningham |
3-7 |
6-5 |
3 |
0.245 |
6.455 |
| Upson-Lee | Tommy Watson |
3-7 |
6-5 |
3 |
0.245 |
6.455 |
| Tri-Cities | Kenneth Miller |
7-4 |
10-3 |
3 |
0.133 |
6.329 |
| CLASS AAA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Team | Coach |
2010 |
2011 |
W+ |
Pct.+ |
Imp |
| Drew | Jarrett Laws |
2-8 |
7-4 |
5 |
0.436 |
10.364 |
| Cedartown | Scott Hendrix |
4-6 |
8-3 |
4 |
0.327 |
8.273 |
| Central (Carroll) | Grant Chesnut |
0-10 |
4-6 |
4 |
0.400 |
8.000 |
| Cross Creek | Travis Nixon |
1-9 |
5-5 |
4 |
0.400 |
8.000 |
| Allatoona | Gary Varner |
8-3 |
12-1 |
4 |
0.196 |
7.958 |
| Mary Persons | Rodney Walker |
6-4 |
9-3 |
3 |
0.150 |
6.500 |
| Stockbridge | Kevin Whitley |
6-5 |
9-3 |
3 |
0.205 |
6.045 |
| Westside (Aug.) | Steve Hibbits |
1-9 |
4-6 |
3 |
0.300 |
6.000 |
| St. Pius | Paul Standard |
9-3 |
12-1 |
3 |
0.173 |
5.731 |
| Burke Co. | Eric Parker |
11-3 |
14-1 |
3 |
0.148 |
5.476 |
| CLASS AA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Team | Coach |
2010 |
2011 |
W+ |
Pct.+ |
Imp |
| Appling Co. | J.T. Pollock |
4-7 |
12-2 |
8 |
0.494 |
15.935 |
| Pierce Co. | Sean Pender |
2-8 |
8-3 |
6 |
0.527 |
12.273 |
| River Ridge | Robert Brautch |
2-7 |
8-2 |
6 |
0.578 |
11.778 |
| Adairsville | Jim Kremer |
5-5 |
10-2 |
5 |
0.333 |
10.333 |
| Lamar Co. | Jason Strickland |
7-4 |
12-1 |
5 |
0.287 |
9.867 |
| Lakeview-FO | Todd Windham |
0-10 |
4-6 |
4 |
0.400 |
8.000 |
| Oglethorpe Co. | Larry Milligan |
0-10 |
4-6 |
4 |
0.400 |
8.000 |
| Dublin | Roger Holmes |
8-3 |
11-2 |
3 |
0.119 |
6.189 |
| Bleckley Co. | Sam Barrs |
4-6 |
6-5 |
2 |
0.145 |
4.455 |
| Northeast | Bruce Mullen |
4-6 |
6-5 |
2 |
0.145 |
4.455 |
| Temple | Seth Rogers |
4-6 |
6-5 |
2 |
0.145 |
4.455 |
| CLASS A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Team | Coach |
2010 |
2011 |
W+ |
Pct.+ |
Imp |
| Landmark | Kenny Dallas |
6-4 |
12-3 |
6 |
0.200 |
13.000 |
| Bryan Co. | Mark Wilson |
0-10 |
6-4 |
6 |
0.600 |
12.000 |
| Prince Avenue | Mark Farriba |
7-4 |
13-1 |
6 |
0.292 |
11.922 |
| Bowdon | Dwight Hochstetler |
4-6 |
9-3 |
5 |
0.350 |
10.500 |
| Seminole Co. | Alan Ingram |
7-4 |
11-2 |
4 |
0.210 |
8.098 |
| Pelham | Frankie Carroll |
0-10 |
4-6 |
4 |
0.400 |
8.000 |
| Schley Co. | Jim McFather |
1-9 |
5-5 |
4 |
0.400 |
8.000 |
| Aquinas | Matt Lezotte |
6-4 |
9-4 |
3 |
0.092 |
6.923 |
| Fellowship | Hunter Chadwick |
2-7 |
5-5 |
3 |
0.278 |
6.778 |
| Bacon Co. | Bobby Johns |
4-6 |
7-4 |
3 |
0.236 |
6.364 |
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5 comments Add your comment
c691017
December 28th, 2011
11:55 am
Have to hand it to them! Good improvements! I like the Bryan County job! But, I think the Prince Avenue job was phenominal! The only ones to stop them was us! Congrats to Landmark also!! I think to improve Pelham was a feat to itself also!! Great job Seminole County!!
c691017
December 28th, 2011
11:57 am
Also, looking higher; I like the job Warner Robbins did to get back!!
pirateman
December 29th, 2011
10:07 am
When you go from 3 coaches to 8 coaches that is a big change also!
dagrapevine
December 29th, 2011
12:49 pm
it can’t be overstated the job coach rance gillespie did in his 2nd season with a valdosta team who loss the fire power he inherited last season.with only 1 major prospect he won region 1-5a and beat lowndes for the first time in 7 years with a team many didn’t give a chance to make the play offs this year.
this team returns 17 starters this year with their qb who only started the final 7 games.valdosta may be back sooner than many thought.
Valdosta Cat
December 29th, 2011
8:36 pm
Well stated dagrapevine….Go Cats!!!!