Acadiana area product Harry Coleman heading to familiar region to take over Opelousas

by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor

Before head football coach Jimmy Zachery left his alma mater at Opelousas, Harry Colemen had received a phone call about the potential of the job becoming open at the school.

Coleman was taken aback, having watched Zachery’s accomplishments from afar which included the Division II non-select state championship in 2023. It was home to Zachery, thus really never registering on Coleman’s radar until Zachery left in February to become the new head coach at Liberty Magnet in Baton Rouge. 

“I didn’t think Jimmy would leave when he had a gold mine right there in Opelousas,” Coleman said. 

Coleman reached out to Opelousas High principal Gregory Campbell about his interest in the job, secured an interview before Mardi Gras, and received notice last Friday that he was selected by the St. Landry Parish School Board for the job.

“I got the call and I’m forever grateful and thankful,” said Coleman, who has plans to arrive for offseason conditioning in two weeks.

Coleman, who turns 40 in November, is headed back closer to his roots in Baldwin, located in St. Mary Parish. He’s been the head coach at Peabody Magnet in Alexandria, leading the basketball-crazed school to a pair of Division II select state playoff appearances in his three seasons.

“It’s a great situation,” said Coleman, LSU’s MVP on a team that captured the BCS national championship in 2008. “I’m closer to home. It’s a blessing being closer to home and closer to family. The football program has had an amazing ride, being state champions two seasons removed. It seems like a football town and I’m a football guy.”

With an icon such as the Naismith Hall of Fame coach Charles Smith casts a sizable shadow with more than 1,200 wins and nine state championships at the school. The Warhorses reached the Division II state semifinals where they lost to eventual state champion Archbishop Hannan.

Coleman took over a 0-10 team in 2022 and led Peabody to a 7-5 record and state regionals. The Warhorses were 14-20 during his tenure, including a 2-8 mark in 2024.

“I was really proud of what we did there,” Coleman said. “We had a couple of guys out that had never played football before and turned them into some pretty decent high school football players. It’s strictly about basketball and that’s cool. The football aspect, they have a feeder program, but I think the main focus is basketball. 

“I’m a football guy,” Coleman said. “It was great. I had a wonderful time. They gave me three great seasons. My first two seasons we made the playoffs, last year was a down year because it was a young team.”

Opelousas was 26-13 under Zachery in five seasons. The Tigers ended a 67-year drought without a state championship with a 26-13 triumph over district rival Cecilia.

Opelousas was 8-4 this past season with a trip to the state quarterfinals that resulted in a 35-22 defeat at Plaquemine.

Coleman will inherit a team that produced seven college signees in 2024, linebacker Corey Amos (Ole Miss), cornerback Landon Hammond (Tulane), running back D’Shaun Ford (UL-Monroe), quarterback Zack Malveaux (Southern), defensive lineman Jonathan Ford (Southern), safety Kyran Moore (Stephen F. Austin) and offensive lineman Chris Rideaux (Tuskegee).

D’Shaun Ford, Amos, Hammond, and Malveaux were all chosen honorable mention Class 4A All-State last season after Ford was selected first team in 2023.

Coleman will also be met by a trying schedule, one that includes games with Teurlings Catholic (Division I select quarterfinalist), Karr (Division I select state champion), Alexandria (Division I select state runner-up and Zachary (Division I non-select regionalist).

The Tigers will contend with reigning Division II non-select state champion Cecilia, which is also looking to replace its head coach, District 5-4A play.

“I looked at the schedule and I’m up for the task and challenge,” said Coleman, who is working on assembling his coaching staff. “We’re kind of behind the eight-ball and offseason training will begin in April. I want them to understand that the standard is the standard. There’s going to have to be some commitment if we want to have a successful season.”

One of the aspects of the job Coleman is looking forward to is having a renovated off-campus home field – Donald Gardner Stadium – to play in at the start of this season. The stadium is currently undergoing the first phase of a $7.85 million re-purposing project that will replace the traditional grass field with artificial turf and a new eight-lane all-weather track.

Coleman’s a product of West St. Mary High in Baldwin where he earned first-team Class 3A All-State honors. He signed with LSU where he played both safety and linebacker, helping the Tigers to the BCS national crown in ’09.

Coleman concluded his career with 189 tackles, 6 ½ tackles for loss, and 4 sacks. He was the team’s third-leading tackler as a senior with 82 stops and was second for the Tigers with 9 TFLS and 4 sacks.

“We’re going to be physical and play fast,” Coleman said. “Once we get there, I’ll know what we’re doing.”

Coleman signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent and was released in 2010. He also signed a similar deal with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL, but when he was released, Coleman was ready to begin giving back to kids the way his mentor, Joe Thomas, had done for him decades before.

Coleman’s coaching career included five years at his alma mater, one year at Westgate in New Iberia, and returning to West St. Mary as interim before moving to Peabody.

“(Tweety) was my park-ball coach in Baldwin,” Coleman said. “He played at Mississippi Valley alongside (All-American wide receiver and future NFL star) Jerry Rice. He coached pee-wee, high school, and was in the community. He always said he was trying to find the next me. I was with him from 7-years-old up to 13. He’s been a guy that I leaned on, called, and talked to besides my high school coach (Andre Lockley).

“My peewee coach molded me into the player that I became along with my high school coach,” Coleman said. “I’ve always said that if playing in the NFL wasn’t the end, I’ve wanted to coach and give back to kids. It’s real exciting. I’m ready for the challenge, ready for the task. I’m excited that I get the opportunity to work with and coach kids. I love being around kids, trying to get those guys to the next level. …  The next stage of life.”