Richmond Region Preview - 2023 Coaching Carousel

No need to rub your eyes or check your glasses... when you go to a game this coming season you will see some new but familiar faces. In 2023 there will be 9 programs with new coaches at the helm mirroring the seasons of 1979, 1986 and 2010.

Nine, however is not the most as there were 10 changes in 2017, 2019 and 2021. Notice anything? Five of the biggest coaching turnovers have occurred since 2010.

Only 20% of the coaches in the region have been on the job 11 ore more seasons. 73% of the coaches in the region have 5 or fewer seasons at their respective schools. This is a growing trend for sure.

Midlothian, Mills Godwin and Thomas Jefferson all qualified for the playoffs last season which puts a bit of pressure on their respective new coaches.

Mills Godwin is coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and their first winning season since 2017. PJ Adams departs the Eagles program after two years and in his place steps in long-time assistant Earl Kinney. Kinney has made the rounds in the Colonial District having played at Patrick Henry and been an assistant at PH, Thomas Jefferson and most recently Hermitage.

The most surprising departure of the offseason was Coach Matt Hutchings leaving Midlothian after five seasons. In 2022 the Trojans won 9 games, the most since 1975 and topped LC Bird for the first time since 1986! Coach Hutchings had this program moving in the right direction and a perennial playoff contender. In steps Coach Phil Gross who has been a part of the staff for a short time after a nearly decade absence in coaching. Previously Coach Phil Gross was an assistant at Hanover and the head man at Amelia. He might be the coach with the most pressure given how good this program has been in recent seasons.

Another surprising change at the helm occurred at Thomas Jefferson where Coach Josef Harrison steps down and Eric Harris, the offensive coordinator steps up to take the helm. TJ of course has carried the torch for the RPS schools but Huguenot with their new head coach will certainly challenge TJ for best in the city. Coach Harris will not only be challenged by his first time at the helm and Huguenot but obviously with TJ's track record over the last five years, the pressure to play in November is most definitely there.

After 10 years at Henrico, the Warriors and Coach Gerald Glasco are no more. In steps an assistant under Coach Glasco in DeShawn Holmes. Holmes might be familiar as he once played for Highland Springs. Holmes is tasked with rebuilding a program that played for a region title in 2018 but has just 4 wins total over the last three seasons.

Glasco has re-surfaced at Clover Hill after the Cavaliers and Coach Bryan Jennings parted ways. The Cavaliers made the playoffs in 2019 after going 8-2 during the regular season. Since that time Clover Hill has just 6 wins in the last three years. Glasco could not get Henrico back on track but he gets a second chance at Clover Hill.

Chip Howard is leaving Amelia after two years as head coach to take over a John Marshall team left empty by Coach Gillus leaving for another gig after 2 seasons. The Justice had some moments in the sun last season with wins over Charles City & Middlesex. The Justice, however, has not been the same since Coach Phil Sims left JM for JR Tucker but Coach Howard will look to change that. It won't come easily for Coach Howard as the other city schools, TJ, Huguenot and Armstrong are all ahead in program development but Howard has the right attitude to perhaps snag another couple of wins and maybe return the Justice to the playoffs.

Coach Phil Sims abruptly left JR Tucker after three seasons at the helm of the Tigers. Enter Coach Brice Fritts who is a long-time assistant in the area having been at Mechanicsville, Atlee and Douglas Freeman and a head coaching stint at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot. Tucker is just a season away from having made the playoffs for the first time since 1992 and have a new stadium they broke in last season. Tucker has never been a traditional power or contender in the region but Coach Fritts will look to change that. You can read more about Coach Fritts and his plans for Tucker here, Tucker Finds Right Fit With Fritts.

Meadowbrook over the last five seasons has just one win and that came last season. There has been no worse team over this five year span but Coach Billy Rudd is looking to change that. Coach Rudd played on that 2004 state championship team and he is looking to bring back respectability and relevance to a program that was once a perennial playoff contender. He fills the void left behind by Recharde Goodwyn leaving the Monarchs following the 2022 season after just 2 seasons. You can read more about Coach Rudd and his vision for Meadowbrook here, Meadowbrook Brings Billy Rudd Home!

The biggest splash when it comes to coaching hires comes from the Dominion District where Charles Scott leaves Life Christian to lead Huguenot. Coach Scott has already made an impact on the Falcons with a slew of players coming into the program from LCA and other schools. Coach Scott wants to bring Huguenot back to the stature it had under the legend, Coach Richard McFee. That era of Huguenot football included changing young men's lives, getting them into college, winning games and contending for region titles. No coach has been able to do that since McFee, not the seven coaches in between, most recently being James Riley.