There are plenty of new faces in new places around West Tennessee football teams.
A total of 17 Jackson area teams will have a new TSSAA football coach on the sidelines heading into the 2024 season.
Here are the coaching hires, where they are now and what to know heading into the 2024 football season.
Derek Carr
Lexington
What to know: Carr left Milan after two seasons as the Bulldogs’ coach to take over at Lexington for long-time coach Bryant Hollingsworth after Hollingsworth became the Henderson County athletic director. Milan was 18-7 under Carr’s direction.
Wade Comer
Milan
What to know: One of the mainstays in West Tennessee high school football, Comer left McKenzie after 23 seasons to take the job at Milan. Comer went 207-94 with a state championship at McKenzie and said, “They always have a place in my heart,” after announcing the move.
Justin Cruse
Dresden
What to know: Cruse departed from Ripley after leading the Tigers for seven seasons and a 36-46 record. Cruse replaced Keith Hodge, who resigned after three seasons.
Adam Dowland
West Carroll
What to know: Dowland has coached at various places around the South and the Midwest, including Missouri and Kentucky. Dowland spent the last two seasons as the War Eagles’ defensive coordinator and was promoted to head coach after Clayton Morris took the Obion County job.
Jordan Gardner
Ripley
What to know: Gardner has been on the Tigers’ staff for seven years as an assistant. He replaces Cruse, who took the Dresden job.
Robert Gilliard
Liberty
What to know: Gilliard has coaching experience all over Tennessee and was named the Crusaders’ coach in February. Gilliard was most recently an assistant at North Side. He is a Jackson native, graduating from Jackson Central-Merry in 1990 and played college football at Lane.
Keith Hodge
McKenzie
What to know: Hodge left Dresden after a successful three-year run, ending in a 31-8 record including a 13-1 mark in 2023 with a loss to the Rebels in the TSSAA Class 1A state semifinals. The Lions racked up over 5,600 yards in 2023.
Harold Hooper
Scotts Hill
What to know: Hooper made the move to Scotts Hill from South Gibson, where he was the team's offensive coordinator. He replaces Rennard Woodmore, who was let go after five seasons. Hooper has coaching experience around West Tennessee including Jackson Christian and McNairy Central. Hooper's offense at South Gibson averaged 31.5 points per game in 2024.
John Ross Hudson
Camden Central
What to know: Hudson served in multiple roles in 14 seasons at Lexington, including the last two as the defensive coordinator and the prior 10 as the Tigers’ special teams coordinator. Hudson is the grandson of former Buffalo Bills player Bill Hudson and the nephew of current New England Patriots assistant John Hudson.
Matt McConnell
Westview
What to know: McConnell is back in Martin after four seasons at Camden. McConnell had a 12-29 record with the Lions but had success coaching then-Charger quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson's younger brother, Graham, is now a freshman quarterback with the Chargers. McConnell replaced Jarod Neal, who resigned in January.
Clayton Morris
Obion County
What to know: Morris jumped into the Obion County coaching job after three seasons at West Carroll, guiding the War Eagles to an 18-15 record and three playoff appearances. Morris replaced Justin Palmer, who left to be the coach at Forrest in Middle Tennessee.
Kyle Pack
Gibson County
What to know: Pack took over the Pioneer program after Charles Rogers resigned in the spring following a 1-9 season in 2023. Pack, who graduated from Gibson County in 2000, led the Martin Middle School football team to the TMSSA sectional game.
Alex Seaton
Hardin County
What to know: Seaton was named the Tigers’ interim coach immediately following Matthew Smith’s resignation to focus on his duties as Hardin County’s athletic director. Seaton had the interim status removed in February after nine seasons as the defensive coordinator.
Hunter Short
Lake County
What to know: Short has served on the Falcons’ coaching staff for eight seasons in two stints and was named the coach after Jonathan Canada took an assistant job with Haywood and former Falcons’ coach, Josh Puckett.
Justin Truett
McNairy Central
What to know: Truett has spent time at schools around West Tennessee, including South Fulton, South Gibson and most recently at Peabody for the last two seasons as an assistant coach. Truett takes over for Wes Johnson, who resigned from the post in early January.
Hayden Williams
Humboldt
What to know: Williams is taking over a struggling Vikings program after a solid three-year run at Bolivar. Williams went 9-20 but went 6-4 in 2023, including a 76-20 win over Liberty to end the season. Williams graduated from North Side and now resides in Crockett County.
Rennard Woodmore
Bolivar
What to know: Woodmore was let go from Scotts Hill after five seasons and a 3-7 record in 2023. He takes over for Hayden Williams, who took the Humboldt coaching position. Woodmore went 20-32 at Scotts Hill.
Austin Chastain is a high school sports writer covering West Tennessee. Reach him by email atachastain@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ChastainAJ.
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