Third Mississippi Coast program in a week promotes from within for new football coach
The high school football season on the Mississippi Coast is over, which means the coaching carousel is in full swing.
We’ll track all the head coaching changes from around the region here as they happen during the off season.
George County wraps up MS Coast coaching carousel
March 12: The Rebels hope they have their man for good, this time. George County has been without a head coach since mid-November when now-athletic director James Ray resigned his post and successor Eric Collier returned to Biloxi just three weeks into the job.
Defensive coordinator Kelly Causey has been elevated to the head role, taking on his fifth career head coaching job. Causey has been on the Rebels’ staff the last five seasons.
“He was the first guy I hired when I became the head coach here,” Ray told the Sun Herald. “He’s a great person who is going to lead our program in the right direction.”
George County isn’t Causey’s first job on the Coast. Causey led St. Martin from 1999 to 2001 before taking over the Pass Christian program from 2004 to 2008. Causey was hired for a second stint at St. Martin in 2011, but left abruptly after an opportunity came available return home and lead his alma mater Cleveland.
Over a decade later, Causey is the one stepping in for a sudden and unexpected coach departure.
“Coach Causey being on staff, knowing the kids, knowing the program does bring instant stability that is needed right now,” Ray said.
Causey has a career 76-117 record. He’s led nine straight playoff trips over his last nine head coaching years between six years at Cleveland and three years at Kosciusko.
Long Beach promotes assistant with head coaching experience
March 11: Cody Finley served as Jacob Massey’s offensive line coach and right-hand man during the latter’s three-year tenure. Long Beach will now be turning to Finley take over the Bearcat program following Massey’s departure.
Finley was a longtime head coach in Tennessee before arriving on the Mississippi Coast in 2022. He led three different programs across 20 years of head coaching.
“He’s been places where winning is really tough and it’s very similar to our region,” Long Beach athletic director Shane Rutledge told the Sun Herald. “We have a really tough region with some of the teams in our league. There’s no easy days. He’s got the track record of succeeding in places like that.”
Finley led Cheatham County for 11 years, Stewart County for three and then his alma mater Gibson County for six seasons, totaling a 100-121 record. Finley’s Gibson County program reached the postseason in 2018 for the first time since 2000.
Cheatham County reached the playoffs eight times in 11 years under Finley following just three trips in the previous 13 seasons.
Finley’s motivation for leaving Tennessee for the Coast was an opportunity to slow down.
“I have been thinking about retiring for a little while now and my wife and I love the beach, and Long Beach High School is on the Gulf, so it’s perfect for us,” Finley told Main Street Preps in 2022. “Gibson County is home for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, but I’m ready to do something a little different now and slow down a little bit.”
Long Beach has not made the playoffs since 2011 and are on a 40-game district losing streak dating back to 2018.
St. Martin stays in-house
March 10: The St. Martin Yellow Jackets are sticking a familiar face in the head chair at the field house. Defensive coordinator Woody Cagnolatti has been elevated to head coach, according to the school on Monday.
Cagnolatti replaces Ty Smith, who served as head coach for three seasons before returning home to Utah in February.
“It is now time for all of us to move into the future of Yellow Jacket Football,” Cagnolatti said in a news release. “Without even knowing each other we are instantly bonded by one common goal: the success of St. Martin Football! To reach that goal it will take an incredible amount of work and dedication from all of us.”
Cagnolatti has been on the Mississippi Coast since 2017 when he became the defensive coordinator at St. Stanislaus until 2020. He served as linebackers coach at Bay High under Jeremy Turcotte before joining Smith’s staff at St. Martin.
The Yellow Jackets’ defense improved from 40 points per game allowed to 29.8 in 2024. Cagnolatti’s promotion represents a shift from Smith’s offense-first approach to Cagnolatti’s defensive background.
St. Martin is searching for its first playoff appearance since 2020 and currently riding a 22-game district losing streak.
George County needs a coach. Again.
Feb. 20: George County athletic director James Ray confirmed to the Sun Herald the school is in search of a new football coach just three weeks after hiring Biloxi defensive coordinator Eric Collier.
The sudden reversal appears to be tied to the resignation of George County School District Superintendent Wade Whitney.
“Our Superintendent resigned, (Collier) decided it was in his best interest to go back,” Ray said. “That’s really all I can say.”
Whitney requested to end his contract due to “personal reasons” and a special meeting was held Saturday, Feb. 15 to relieve him of the contract, according to a release by the school district.
Collier is returning to Biloxi where he will continue his duties as defensive coordinator.
Moss Point tabs former Coast coordinator as new coach
Feb. 13: Moss Point has landed on its fourth coach in as many seasons in hopes of turning its fortunes around. Perry Central defensive coordinator Derrick Jenkins will take over the Moss Point program in 2025.
It’s Jenkins’ first job as a head coach and precisely the one he’s always wanted.
“I’ve been eyeing Moss Point for a while now,” Jenkins told the Sun Herald. “I just saw the potential for what Moss Point could be. I’ve seen that potential for a long time. Every time the job has come available, I’ve applied.”
Moss Point is coming off its first winless season since 1952, has missed the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time since 1981-82 and has just five wins across the last three years.
“I feel like if the right guy came to Moss Point, they can get back to that championship caliber,” Jenkins said. “I feel like I’m the guy to make that happen or at least start the process.”
Moss Point was once home to the most dominant football program on the Coast. Its five championships are the most of any school south of Interstate 10. The program had seven double-digit win seasons in the ‘90s and 13 playoff wins in the 2000s.
But its last double-digit win year came in 2009 under current Pascagoula coach Lewis Sims. Since then, the Tigers have had 11 losing seasons in 15 years.
Jenkins was Ty Smith’s first defensive coordinator at St. Martin before spending the last couple of seasons as Perry Central’s defensive coordinator.
A native of Mendenhall, Jenkins also prior served as an assistant on the Ocean Springs staff under Ryan Ross.
Long Beach coach resigns for new opportunity closer to family
Feb. 10: Jacob Massey turned in his letter of resignation on Friday as he prepares for a new opportunity on the north side of the state.
Massey led the Bearcats for three seasons and leaves with a 4-29 record. Long Beach snapped a 29-game losing streak under Massey and had the school’s first back-to-back multi-win seasons since 2017-18.
“I’m very proud of where we ended up,” Massey told the Sun Herald. “I inherited the losing streak and we were able to end that streak. There were some things we weren’t able to accomplish. We wanted to win the first district game. We definitely wanted to make the playoffs. Those things didn’t happen. I wanted to win more than four games, but I felt like we were five or six plays away from having a winning record this past year.”
Long Beach was 2-28 across the three seasons immediately prior to Massey’s arrival. The Bearcats are currently riding a 40-game district losing streak.
Close losses to Forrest County AHS, Purvis, South Jones and Hancock did provide for proof of improvement.
“I’m proud of the culture we were able to implement and I’m proud of where the program is now,” Massey said. “I think whoever ends up getting the job, they’re going to be able to walk into a really good situation. They’re not going to have to worry so much about work ethic or the culture we put in place.”
Massey is expected to take the head coaching role at a school near his wife’s family, pending board approval.
Bay High brings in former Biloxi coach to lead program
Feb. 7: Katlan French is back in charge after spending last season as an assistant on Blake Pennock’s staff at Gulfport. Bay High is turning to the former Biloxi head coach to take over the Tigers’ program following the resignation of Jeremy Turcotte.
“I honestly believe God called me to be the head coach at Bay High,” French told the Sun Herald. “I believe we are a perfect match. Throughout my career I have left every program I’ve touched better than I’ve found it. ... When I walk away from the Bay High football program many years from now, I’ll be walking away from a program that competes for championships year in and year out.”
French was the winningest coach at Biloxi since John Williams in 1992-97, his four playoff appearances were most in school history, and he is the only coach to beat rival Gulfport in the last 13 years.
Bay High has made the postseason four out of the past five years, but has not had a winning record since 2021.
Hancock calls up nearby champ for Hawks job
Feb. 7: Hancock has officially announced Greene County head coach Michael King as its newest coach, though he won’t go before the school board for approval until Feb. 24.
King led the Wildcats for seven seasons, winning 49 games against 30 losses and making six trips to the 4A playoffs. Greene County won district titles in 2019 and 2024 under King’s guidance.
Greene County’s offense last season was among the state’s most prolific as it produced 43.8 points per game.
George County tabs former head of Alabama power as new coach
Feb. 7: The Alabama-to-Mississippi pipeline didn’t stop with Jamey DuBose at Biloxi. Former Theodore (Ala.) head coach Eric Collier has been named to the same position at George County after spending a year as defensive coordinator under DuBose last fall.
Collier led Theodore for 10 seasons between 2013 and 2022, amassing a 71-41 record and a 33-5 record over his final three years. He spent a year as South Alabama’s director of football development in 2023 before following DuBose to Mississippi.
“I really wanted somebody that would continue to build our program back to where it needs to be and we feel like coach Collier is the guy to do that,” George County athletic director James Ray told the Sun Herald.
Collier is replacing Ray, who stepped into the AD role full-time after guiding the Rebels to its first playoff win since 2007.
Ray said Collier’s experience in a rural setting and success with a program that had been sputtering upon his takeover were the key reasons the school chose Collier.
Collier will also be reuniting with George County principal Chip Menton, who was his principal at Theodore.
“Theodore was a program that was struggling when he first got there and in about three or four years turned it around to where they played for a state championship,” Ray said. “That’s the kind of coach that we wanted who knows how to adapt to situations and overcome them.”
In addition to working with DuBose and current Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, Collier also worked with five-time Alabama state champion Rush Propst.
Under Collier, Biloxi’s defense improved from 29 points allowed per game in 2023 to 22.2.
St. Martin coach resigns after three seasons
Feb. 3: St. Martin is the latest Coast program on the market for a new head football coach. Ty Smith announced his resignation Monday following three seasons at the helm of the Yellow Jacket program. Smith and his family will be returning to Utah.
“Utah has always held a special place in our hearts and we have long desired for our children to experience the mountains and the great outdoors that we love so dearly,” Smith said in a statement. “The fear of the unknown too often holds people back from experiencing their dreams and experiencing life. We’re embracing that as a family and are excited for the next chapter.”
St. Martin compiled a 6-25 record under Smith, including 0-17 in district play. Despite on-field results, Smith is credited with rebuilding and modernizing much of the program’s infrastructure. St. Martin’s latest 3-7 campaign featured a defense that allowed its fewest points since 2020.
“I have no doubt the future of St. Martin football is bright and limitless and I’ll be cheering you all from afar,” Smith said.
The Yellow Jackets are now in search for their eighth coach of the century. St. Martin last made the playoffs in 2020 and have yet to win a postseason game in five attempts.
George County coach moves to administration
Dec. 5: It’s a season of change for George County football. Just a day after its standout quarterback Deuce Knight signed with Auburn along with teammates Kohl Bradley, Brenn Moody and Montrell Dortch, head football coach James Ray was approved by the school board as the new full time athletic director.
For Ray, this means stepping away from his post running the football program after five seasons.
“It’s been an honor, it’s the best job I’ve ever had in my life to be the head coach at George County,” Ray told the Sun Herald. “I’m proud of what we’ve done. I wish we could’ve done more, but we’ve done a lot of things that hadn’t been done around here in a long time. It’s largely due to the type of players that we’ve had and not so much what I’ve done.”
Ray leaves the job with a 25-30 record that included a 16-15 record in district play. The Rebels made three playoff trips under Ray and just won their first postseason game since 2007. George County is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2015-16.
His new role is not one that Ray ever thought he’d be in, but he said plans changed and felt he was being called into administration.
“Hopefully, going over to the administrative side, I can help remove some obstacles that I’ve had to face for the next guy to continue and do better and build this program,” Ray said. “Retirement has been looming large on my mind and when this job came available early in the school year, I thought maybe this was God’s plan for me to take this position.”
Hancock moves on from longtime coach
Nov. 21: One of the longest-tenured coaches on the Coast is out. Hancock head football coach Neil Lollar will not return for a ninth season, the school confirmed to the Sun Herald on Thursday.
Lollar was 42-49 across eight seasons and brought the Hawks to the playoffs four times.
“I am thankful for Coach Lollar and all he has done for Hancock football,” Hancock athletic director Jamie Sisco told the Sun Herald. “He and his staff worked tirelessly to ensure our football program was run the right way.”
Lollar is the second-winningest coach in the program’s history, behind only the late Irwin Favre and his 125 wins from 1972-93. Lollar is also the first coach since Favre to make three consecutive playoff appearances, though the Hawks were first round exits in all three seasons.
His 2023 team shattered school records with 422 total points scored, averaging 35.2 points per game.
“We have already begun the process of accepting applications for our next head football coach and I feel confident in what our district has to offer.”
Hancock is coming off a 3-9 campaign that ended in a 48-14 first round loss at Hattiesburg.
Bay High coach steps down
Nov. 12: Jeremy Turcotte is stepping down as the head coach of the Bay High Tigers, Turcotte confirmed Tuesday to the Sun Herald.
Turcotte helmed his alma mater for five seasons, amassing a 20-31 record with four playoff appearances. The Coast coaching veteran informed Bay St. Louis-Waveland school district superintendent of his decision following the Tigers win over Moss Point on Oct. 11.
He then informed his team after Friday’s first round playoff loss to Forest.
“It meant the world, it means the world to be here every day,” Turcotte told the Sun Herald of his time leading the program he graduated from in 1996. “I got to be the head coach on the field that I played on, that my dad played on and my little brother played on. All my family has been through here. My youngest daughter just graduated from here last year.
“It’s home. It was an absolute dream come true to be here.”
Bay High had not been to the postseason for seven years before Turcotte ended the drought in 2020. The Tigers won a playoff game in 2021 for the first time since 2012.
Turcotte will leave as the only coach in the school’s history with four postseason trips.
“I’m leaving things way better off than I found them and I just hope somebody can move the program forward,” Turcotte said. “I think we’ve raised the floor significantly. Maybe somebody else can come in and raise the ceiling.”
Turcotte served a total of nine years as an assistant on Bay High’s staff and spent time coaching at Long Beach, Hancock and West Harrison.
The Tigers were 2-9 this season.
Filled
- Bay High (Katlan French)
- Hancock (Michael King)
- Moss Point (Derrick Jenkins)
- Long Beach (Cody Finley)
- St. Martin (Woody Cagnolatti)
- George County (Kelly Causey)
This story was originally published November 12, 2024 at 1:44 PM.
