Henry County’s Rozier takes Lakeside job
Mike Rozier, who led Henry County football to its greatest success, is the new head coach of Lakeside in DeKalb County.
Rozier was only 51-67 in his 11 years at Henry, but finished with five straight winning seasons. That included 10-2 records in 2007 and 2008. His teams were noted for their offensive firepower. All-state players included quarterbacks Chris Moody and Dew Little, receivers Jamal Patterson, Chris Jackson and Markeith Ambles and 2011 Super 11 defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson.
Rozier’s offensive coordinator at Henry, Rex Robertson, is expected to join Rozier’s Lakeside staff.
“It’s potentially a great situation at Lakeside,’’ said Rozier, a DeKalb County native and graduate of Towers High. “I know the history of it. I know the tradition. I was very impressed with the community. The committee [that interviewed him] is very passionate about turning the program around.’’
Lakeside, a state power for three decades into the mid-1990s, has not had a winning season since 2003. The 2011 team was 0-10, the second winless season in four years.
Lakeside’s Marcus Mitchell, an interim coach who remained for one season, had been the school’s fifth head coach since 2005.
One of Lakeside’s challenges has been losing players beginning in middle school to other top programs nearby. Lakeside will compete in Region 6-AAAAA, which also will include Tucker, Southwest DeKalb, M.L. King and Stephenson.
”One of the toughest tasksing is keep those kids there and letting them now they are Lakeside Vikings and get them to believe they can win,” Rozier said. “I know it’s going to be a challenge, but it’s very similar to Henry County when I started there. They hadn’t won a playoff game in 50 years. It’s about changing that mindset.”
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18 comments Add your comment
Tom
February 15th, 2012
4:39 pm
Good luck to the Lakeside program. They will need it with Rozier.
Deacon 51
February 15th, 2012
6:03 pm
Anytime you are starting a program with a low level of success, is always tough. But just like Coach Rozier said; ‘it starts with the changing of the mind of every stakeholder. Parents, administrators, and the community must be patience and support!!!!! God Bless you coach and your new challenge…..
former coach
February 16th, 2012
6:26 am
imagine a public school losing players being recruited by other public schools. i think ghsa needs to start a new league. this isnt fair.
Big Irish Mike
February 16th, 2012
8:56 am
Good Luck you will need it trying to get players in your district to stay and not go to Tucker and Dunwoody. Your feeder teams need a lot of help.
sam
February 16th, 2012
10:23 am
lakeside only cares about swimming and baseball. football and basketball took backseats long ago. the powers that be will keep it that way. theres so much more going on in Dekalb county thats not being brought to light. btw will crawford lewis ever see the inside of a jail cell? just the tip of the iceverg…
good luck, but odds are you’ll be number 6 of….
don
February 16th, 2012
10:45 am
Coach Rozier…welcome to the football version of “Meadowcreek #2…….”
GO EAST
February 16th, 2012
11:50 am
Talk about hires…How about East Paulding going out and hiring Goddard, with a career record of 28-62, to lead one of the strongest programs in AAAA football. What a joke!! Principal’s buddy, who wasnt the choice of those chosen to suggest replacement. Nine losing years out of a total of nine years coached! Dont know any other coaches up for the job, but I do know East deserves better. Guess it proves that you can suck it up, and still have the right friends to give you a shot at ruining another program!!
Go Creek!
February 16th, 2012
12:26 pm
Rozier and Robertson will bring the swag! to Lakeside. Get ready for some offensive fire power. Players will be staying in their district now!!
rocko
February 16th, 2012
1:27 pm
good luck!
jvillebil
February 16th, 2012
1:36 pm
Well the good news for Rozier is that when you take over a 0-10 team there is only one way to go and that is up. He’ll have to get to know the middle school kids, but if he’s a good coach and determined, then he’ll get it done. Good Luck and Best Wishes.
Speaking of East Paulding, makes you scratch your head when you hire a coach with 9 season and an average yearly record of around 3-7. But maybe with the talent he has, it will be different.
Tom
February 16th, 2012
7:24 pm
No win situation. Parents have very unrealistic expectations, and will take years to turn around this program. And no, I have absolutely no ties to the program. Just know the situation very well
C-town
February 16th, 2012
8:35 pm
IDK, Im thinking he might be leaving because HC was the only county school staying put in AAA. No county rivalries, talent pool being diluted from the opening of Luella/Ola/Locust grove in the past 7 years, plus HC is going to be in a region with Peach Co and Carver- Columbus next year. That being said, Lakeside seems like career suicide. Everybody knows the best talent in Dekalb is on the southeast part of the county, and those kids dont go to Lakeside no more, plus they are competing with Tucker and Dunwoody for those kids. Lakeside is an excellent all-sport school, always has been. But football has been gone since since the 90’s and Tucker is pretty much the king of the Northside of Dekalb. Good luck though Coach.
5AReg6Fan
February 17th, 2012
2:48 pm
First, Good Luck to coach Rozier, he will need every bit of support to turn around a football program that possibly has seen its better days. As mention by others, he will need to IMMEDIATELY, bring focus on Lakeside’s feeder programs (Youth & Mid School)…these programs are in complete shambles. He’ll be face with an uphill battle – The region he will be stepping into, will be one of the BEST in 5A, this is not Henry County.
@GO EAST – Very surprising hiring at East Paulding? Many of us HS football fans were anticipating this hire and possibly overly expecting a proven success hire. EP has developed strong support for its football program and that might just be what it will take for the new coach to be successful – he’s coming into a better situation than Coach Rozier at Lakeside DeKalb. Good Luck to the Raiders of East Paulding, looking forward to hear more from you and other EAST supports (i.e. The Cannon Rule, RealistEPFan, FridayNightLightsFan, etc) on this subject.
“WE ARE TUCKER”
REGION 6, the best in GA 2012 5A Football……
True_SWD_ FAN
February 17th, 2012
5:13 pm
No report about Buck Godfrey being fired from SWD on Wednesday?!?
Lakeside Fan
February 18th, 2012
10:44 am
Tucker fan, With a system that puts out D1 athletes coming in our feeder systems will quit feeding you!
72 Lakeside team
April 23rd, 2012
10:39 am
Rozier will bring back the Lakeside program quicker than you all think. The athletes are and have always been there. Our team in 72 had two guys go on to play college ball. It’s about teamwork, spirit and effort. Watch out for an explosive offense run by some legit D1 athletes. Tucker’s days are waning…nothing lasts forever.
Don't Worry
May 5th, 2012
2:39 pm
Honestly I think this guy could turn the program around. Lakeside has always had the talent, even competing with Tucker and the other powerhouses. The component we have been missing is the confidence to win. Coach Lester wanted to turn the program around but he was fired after two seasons. We need another great coach who is willing to show the kids how it’s done. I am a former football player so I know first hand. The talent has always been there, just not much confidence, partly bad coaching. We’vehad so many coaches lately and it’s sad. I’ll support you coach!
Vance
May 13th, 2012
1:41 pm
Good Luck! Go Vikings!