Two more Columbus area high schools will have a new head football coach next season
Two more high schools in the Columbus area will have a new head football coach next season — both because of departures by former University of Georgia players.
Rance Gillespie, who played defensive back for UGA (1987-90), is leaving his positions as Brookstone School’s athletics director and head football coach to become head football coach at Rabun County High School, the Clayton Tribune reported Monday.
And in Chattahoochee County, former UGA tight end and fullback (2007-11) Bruce Figgins requested to be released from his contract as head football coach due to a “personal issue,” Chattahoochee County School District superintendent Kristie Brooks told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email Wednesday.
The Ledger-Enquirer didn’t reach Figgins for comment before publication. In his place, Chattahoochee County has hired Mike Nash from Dunwoody High School, Brooks said.
Rance Gillespie’s tenure at Brookstone
Gillespie’s record in three seasons at Brookstone was 23-13. He led the Cougars to one state championship game and two state semifinals in Class AAAA-AAA of the Georgia Independent Athletic Association.
In 22 seasons as a head football coach in Georgia, Gillespie has a record of 170-91 at five high schools (Banks County, Peach County, Valdosta, Hart County and Brookstone). He won two state championships with Peach County (2005-06) in Class AAA of the Georgia High School Association.
The Ledger-Enquirer didn’t reach Gillespie for comment before publication, but Brookstone head of school Henry Heil told the L-E in an email Wednesday, “We appreciate Rance’s contributions to Brookstone and the positive impact he has had on our athletic program. While we will miss him, we are excited for this next chapter in his career and personal life.”
Brookstone promoted assistant coach Rusty Davis as its interim head football coach while it conducts a national search for an athletics director.
“Rusty brings over 30 years of football coaching experience, including seven years at Brookstone,” Taylor Green, the school’s communications director, told the L-E in an email Wednesday.
Rabun County hiring Gillespie is a homecoming for him. He graduated from there in 1987.
“This is an emotional moment for me,” Gillespie told the Rabun County Board of Education after he was unanimously approved, according to the Clayton Tribune. “I understand the importance of a football program for a school in general. I certainly understand what it means to this community.
“While it’s not the foundation of a school system, it’s the front porch that everybody drives by and sees. We will take great pride in making sure that everybody sees a positive reflection of our community and our school system, from the way that we get off the bus, play the game and conduct ourselves.”
Gillespie succeeds the retired Michael Davis, who led the Wildcats to a 27-10 record in three seasons, including two state quarterfinals and a first-round loss last year in GHSA Class A.
Why Chattahoochee County hired Mike Nash
Nash led Dunwoody to a 33-64 record during the past 10 seasons, including 4-7 and a first-round state playoff loss last year in GHSA Class AAAAA.
At Chattahoochee County, Nash will be the fifth head coach for the Panthers in as many seasons. They went 3-7 last year in GHSA Class A.
Out of 18 applicants, the selection committee interviewed five candidates, Brooks said. She explained why Nash was hired.
“His unwavering commitment to high expectations and deep connection to the community have made him a standout leader in the metro Atlanta area,” she said. “Coach Nash embodies the one quality that ChattCo stakeholders identified as a critical need: longevity.”
Assessing the one season the Panthers had with Figgins, Brooks said he “brought an energy that many hoped would revive the excitement of the Coach Coffey era. Unfortunately, personal issues led Coach Figgins to take an extended leave and ultimately request release from his contract toward the end of the season. The Panther family has since been assured that Coach Figgins and his family are doing well, though no further updates on his professional status have been shared.”
Pierre Coffey led the Panthers to their past two winning seasons, 8-2 in 2020 and 8-3 in 2021, both ending in first-round state playoff losses. He left Chattahoochee County to become head football coach at Carver, where he led the Tigers to a 14-1 record and the GHSA Class AA state championship last year.
Other Columbus area high schools with new head football coaches
Brookstone and Chattahoochee County join the following other high schools in the Columbus area that will have new head football coaches next season:
- Hardaway, where Will Whilden succeeds Ryan McKenzie.
- St. Anne-Pacelli, where Smitty Grider succeeds Dwight Jones.
- Smiths Station, where Justin Albert resigned six weeks after succeeding Bryant Garrison.
This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 12:18 PM.
