Updated at 7:30 p.m.

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          The coaching carousel’s spin in Central Georgia has already been head-shakingly dizzy.

          It has picked up even more speed with the latest eyebrow-raiser, Warner Robins’ Marquis Westbrook succeeding Chad Campbell at Peach County.

          The shocker became official Monday night. The Peach County Board of Education had a previously scheduled work meeting on Monday and regular meeting on Tuesday, with a name presented Monday night. It was Westbrook, and he was unanimously approved.

Michelle Masters, executive director of administrative services for Peach County Schools, said there were six interviews – on Thursday – and two callbacks for finalists on Friday.

          The Atlanta Journal-Constitution initially reported the move around 10 a.m. Monday.

          Westbrook updated his staff Thursday afternoon about him applying.

          Initial indications were that Westbrook had the job on Thursday. Westbrook didn’t reply to a text or voicemail from The Sports Report on Thursday, nor again Monday.

          Warner Robins principal Chris McCook said, en route to dinner on Thursday, that Westbrook hadn’t resigned, and that he knew about the interview and the possibility of Westbrook leaving.

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          “As of today (Thursday), I’m not in the market for a football coach,” McCook said. “I may be in the market for one Monday or Tuesday.”

          Campbell resigned/retired on Nov. 30 from the only place he has coached, and was named as Westfield’s new head coach a week later, bring brother and assistant Lee with him.

          The other finalists reportedly included another Central Georgia head coach, a Peach County assistant, and a former Peach County player who is currently a head coach in Florida, and perhaps another coach with Central Georgia college and high school assistant experience.

          Westbrook went 50-9 in four seasons in his head coaching debut, taking over for Mike Chastain less than a month after Chastain left for Jones County in the spring of 2019.

          The Demons went to two GHSA Class 5A championship game in Chastain’s final two seasons, and Westbrook kept it going with four more consecutive trips.

          Warner Robins lost in 2019, then won two straight state titles, and lost last month to Ware County in the championship.

          The move likely involves a notable raise for Westbrook. According to www.open.ga.gov, a government website that includes salaries of state employees, Westbrook made $86,377.52 in the 2021 fiscal year as head football coach.

          Campbell made $106,073.98 that same year. Campbell had more years in the state system, and was also Peach County’s athletics director until a few years ago. The change in duties didn’t affect his salary.

          Denny Maddox has been Warner Robins’ athletics director for three years. Westbrook was the AD for his first year as head coach.

          The Crisp County grad played quarterback and defensive back for the Cougars, earning a variety of all-state honors as a 5-9, 175-pounder. He ran for 485 yards and passed for 920 as a senior to go with 103 tackles and four interceptions.

          He went on to play in 44 games at Florida, playing in every game in two seasons and in the Citrus, Sugar, and Orange Bowls.

          His coaching career didn’t start right away when the NFL decided it wasn’t interested in a 5-9, 175-pounder. He sold insurance, and then worked at Turner Job Corps in Albany for a few years.

          TJC has grown more into a career center and technical school, but it was a little less academic two decades ago.

          Westbrook started his coaching career at Macon County under Henry Lester. Westbrook joined David Bruce’s staff at Veterans in 2011, moving to Warner Robins in 2016 around the same time Nick Brooks – now at Howard – went from Warner Robins to Veterans.

          Westbrook was the Demons’ defensive coordinator or co-defensive coordinator for three years before getting the promotion at the end of April in 2019.