Will Warner Robins have a new head football coach by lunchtime Wednesday?

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

            If Chris McCook has his way, Warner Robins will go less than three weeks without a head football coach.

            “Hopefully, we’ll be able to name a head coach mid to late (this) week,” the Warner Robins principal said on Friday.

            Mike Chastain was hired on April 17 at Jones County after three years at Warner Robins, going 29-12 with consecutive trips to the GHSA Class 5A title game, losing 38-0 to Rome and 47-41 in triple overtime to Bainbridge.

            McCook said the plan was to finish interviews by Tuesday and hopefully have a recommendation for the board of education late in the week.

            “The timing is not great,” he said. “Most people are committed to where they’re at. A lot of people have said they would leave their situation for an opportunity at Warner Robins. It’s a good deal, it’s a good situation.

            “Just the timing’s not real great, and I respect that from coaches.”

            The next schedule board meeting is May 14.

            Warner Robins is scheduled to begin spring practice on Wednesday and travel to Lowndes for the spring game on May 17.

            “We’ve left (the schedule) the same,” McCook said. “We’re gonna rock on.”

            The other option McCook said was, if a recommendation was ready, for superintendent Dr. Mark Scott to call a special board meeting, and the Houston County Board of Education website lists a called meeting for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, with a short list of topics: executive session and personnel matters before adjournment.

            It would appear the Demons will start practice on Wednesday knowing who their new head coach is.

            Defensive coordinator Marquis Westbrook is considered the favorite. He has been at Warner Robins for three seasons, following Paul Carroll and Justin Montgomery as defensive coordinator this year. He came to Warner Robins after several seasons at Veterans.

            The Crisp County grad played at Florida and also coached at Macon County.

            Two other finalists, according to sources, are a defensive coordinator from a highly successful Class 7A program north of Atlanta and a co-offensive coordinator from a highly successful Class 7A program in South Georgia.

            No, nobody from Colquitt County.

            The new head coach will also be the athletics director.

            The staff lost two assistants before Chastain departed, offensive coordinator Shane Sams taking the head coaching job at Centennial – which opens the season with Northside -  and defensive line coach Larry Capasso, who returned to Florida.

            Finding the right offensive coordinator to keep the momentum of a unit that has averaged more than 420 yards a game the past two seasons is a major priority.

            Chastain replaced Justin Rogers at Jones County, who was approved two days earlier at Colquitt County.

            After decades of basic stability – save for one year with Robby Pruitt in charge – Warner Robins is looking for its third head coach in five years.

            Bryan Way led the Demons for 12 seasons after more years than that as an assistant. Richard Fendley was head coach for six years after following Robert Davis.

            Pruitt coached in 2003, and Way followed.

            The Demons return most of their offensive starters – but must replace record-setting quarterback Dylan Fromm – and about half of their starting defensive players.