Carver High School hires former standout athlete as its new head football coach
Five days after the Carver High School head coach from last season’s state championship football team resigned to take another job, the program’s next leader has emerged.
Jarvis Jones, a former star linebacker at Carver from the class of 2008, is the Tigers’ new head football coach, the school announced Sunday.
Jones returns to his alma mater with notable accolades, including standout seasons at the University of Georgia. He twice was named an All American, then played four seasons in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2013-16.
He succeeds Pierre Coffey, who was approved Tuesday night by the Stewart County School Board to be principal of its K-12 school.
Carver turns announcement into an event
Sunday’s event at Carver began with the school’s band, cheerleaders and dancers entertaining the crowd before Latavius Watts, the discipline dean at Carver, walked onto the stage.
“Our football player student athletes have accomplished a major state championship, and our goal is to continue to do that,” he told the audience. “… We want you to be a part of what we have to come.”
Then he let a video announce the news. After highlights of Jones’ career were played on the auditorium’s screen, Jones walked onto the stage with family members as the crowd cheered.
Jones called it a “big move” and “a blessing” to return home.
“It definitely means a whole lot to us,” he told the audience. “… Y’all know I love Carver to death. I want to thank the administration and athletic department for doing a great job of making this come true for me. Man, it’s a dream come true to me. I want to thank every last one of y’all for being here today. I know y’all will be a great support.”
Then he addressed the players seated in the auditorium.
“It’s gonna be hard work,” he said. “It’s gonna be dedication. We’re gonna get it done, man. We’re gonna find ways to get it done.”
Jones told the players he wants to help them go to college and become responsible men with families.
“That’s what we’re trying to build here, man,” he said. “And the way you do that, you’ve got to stay focused. You’ve got to be disciplined.”
Jones said he wants to be a pillar in the community.
“I had a great supporting cast when I was here in Columbus and throughout my career,” he told the audience. “Y’all always supported me, and I’m just so, so, so, so excited to give it all back to y’all. Let’s do it, baby. Let’s do it.”
As he concluded the event, Watts told the crowd, “This is gonna be a big experience for our student athletes. We look forward to seeing y’all as we go out on the field and compete to bring us another state championship.”
A chance to give back
During a news conference after the announcement, Jones told reporters he accepted the offer after Carver principal Chris Lindsey called along with Watts because he wants to “give back to my community, where my community gave so much support to me. That’s the mission.”
Carver has four players listed on the 247Sports ranking of the 125 best college football recruiting prospects for the class of 2026 in Georgia:
- 4. Tristian Givens (6-3, 215) edge
- 82. Parker Pritchett (6-5, 310) offensive lineman
- 97. Kei’Maurii Miles (6-2, 165) wide receiver
- 107. Kelston Tarver (5-9, 180) running back.
So the Tigers have a “ton of talent,” Jones said, but he wants to “boost the small things.”
“Everybody looks at the physical side of football, but … once you start improving the mental side, it leads to longevity,” he said. “and that’s what I want to build. I want to build young men, athletes second.”
Jones is grateful to have a “really good blueprint” from being an assistant on UGA head coach Kirby Smart’s staff the past six years.
“Seeing the way he’s done things, I just want to implement some of the things from there to our program, which I really think can help us a whole lot,” he said.
Jones expects to rely on the Carver administration and athletics department during this transition. Coffey served as Carver’s athletics director as well as head football coach, but head girls basketball coach Anson Hundley has taken on the AD duties.
“I know how to coach college ball, but coming to this level, I’m gonna need some guidance,” Jones said.
Jones praised his predecessor.
“Coach Coffey … and his staff did an amazing job,” he said. “Cannot thank them enough, the way they showed Carver pride throughout the years and just competing. So can’t be appreciative enough to Coach Coffey and the team that he’s given me.”
Then he explained why he took time to shake hands, hug and take photos with as many folks who attended the event as possible.
“It’s always love and respect for me,” he said. “… Connection is big, and that’s some of the things I want to relate to my players, just being connected, all of us on the same page and man. It’s a mission not only for me but for our community. With their support, we’ll be able to do the things and accomplish the things these kids need to be successful.”
No wonder the faculty position for Jones will be as a mentor, with an official job title as “restorative instructional specialist,” Hundley said.
“We’ve got super-talented kids, so we need somebody that’s going to come in and push them and make sure that they’re prepared to play at the best of their ability, to play at the top level,” Hundley told the reporters. “We’re looking to have Division I players now. We’ve got a Division I coach.”
Carver’s administration acted fast to hire Coffey’s successor to keep players from transferring, Hundley said, considering how late in the offseason this coaching change happened.
The Ledger-Enquirer didn’t reach Lindsey before publication, so it was left for Hundley to answer why they think Jones is the right head coach from this program now.
“He’s Carver,” Hundley said. “I mean, point blank, he’s Carver. He’s dedicated to Carver. He’s loyal to Carver. He’s going to give us everything we need in order to go from being a good team to a great team.”
High standard to meet
Coffey leaves a high standard to follow. He guided the Tigers to a 33-8 record in three seasons:
- 2022: 9-3, lost in Georgia High School Association Class AAA quarterfinals
- 2023: 10-4, lost in GHSA Class AAA semifinals
- 2024: 14-1, won GHSA Class AA title.
But winning a state championship is familiar to Jones.
He was a junior in 2007 when Carver won the program’s first state title. Dell McGee, who was that team’s head coach, went on to become an assistant coach at UGA and now is Georgia State’s head coach.
At 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds, Jones was among the Southeast’s most honored college football prospects, including U.S. Army All-American.
After his junior season, he was named the 2007 Class AAA Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia Sports Writers Association and Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. That season, Jones notched 157 tackles (26 for loss), four sacks and two interceptions.
Although his statistics dropped to 77 tackles and four interceptions as a senior while missing several games with a broken thumb, Jones still was selected first-team all-state in 2008 by the AJC, GSWA and GACA and second-team All-American by USA Today.
Jones was among Muscogee County’s most highly recruited football players
As one of the most highly recruited high school football players in Muscogee County history, Jones had more than 150 people attend the announcement of his college choice in the Carver library. He signed with University of Southern California over finalists Florida, Georgia, LSU and Texas.
Jones transferred from USC to Georgia after suffering a career-threatening neck injury that forced him to miss the final five games of his freshman season.
With the Bulldogs, Jones was first-team All-SEC in 2011 and 2012, SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and consensus first-team All-American in 2012.
Set single-season sacks record at UGA
Jones set UGA’s single-season sack record with 14.5 in 2012, which led the nation. He also led the nation with 24.5 tackles for loss and seven forced fumbles while missing two games with injuries that year. Despite playing only two seasons for UGA, he ranks third on the school’s career sacks list with 28.
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Jones in the first round (17th overall) of the 2013 NFL draft. He played in 50 games, with 35 starts, over four seasons with the Steelers. He totaled 130 tackles (84 solo, 11 for a loss), six sacks, four forced fumbles, three recovered fumbles and two interceptions.
In 2016, the Steelers declined their fifth-year option on Jones as James Harrison replaced him in the starting lineup at outside linebacker. Jones signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, but they released him after he was injured before the season started.
In 2019, Jones returned to UGA as a student assistant coach and graduated in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in human development and family science.
Since then, Jones has worked as the UGA football program’s player connection coordinator.
In 2023, Jones was inducted into the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame.
This story was originally published May 25, 2025 at 3:19 PM.
