Up for the Challenge: Jimmy Zachery leaving alma mater Opelousas to take over Liberty Magnet’s Football Program
by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
When Opelousas High had won 17 games in its previous nine seasons, the Tigers turned to one of their own in Jimmy Zachery to restore the program’s past glory.
Two years ago, Zachery guided Opelousas to its first appearance in a state championship since 1956, with the Tigers claiming the school’s first title in a 26-13 victory over Cecilia.
Now Liberty Magnet, which has won six games in the last three seasons since beginning a varsity program in 2021, has turned to the 42-year-old Zachery to build a program in Class 5A that can flourish in one of the state’s toughest 5A districts.
“Coach Zachery is full of energy and a championship caliber coach, and that’s what we’re looking to build here for our football program,” Liberty athletic director Brandon White, who along with principal Chazz Watson, made the hire. “We want a championship level program. I thought it was a perfect match. We think coach Zachery knows what it takes to win at this level. We’re going to do everything we can to support coach and help him build a winning program.”
Zachery begins his new job at Liberty on Feb. 24. He replaces Andy Boone, who wasn’t retained after a 3-7 season–his only at the Baton Rouge school.
“I loved what I heard,” Zachery said. “I loved the vision of principal Watson and Dr. White. I loved where the school’s at and where it’s going. The only thing now is to bring football up to speed. Boys and girls’ basketball have won (state) championships. Everybody’s competing well athletically there. Football’s been down and I’m here to shake that back and restore order.”
Zachery had experience coaching at the 5A level in Baton Rouge. He was the defensive coordinator for five years at East Ascension before the former Grambling State noseguard returned to his alma mater and revived the program.
Over five seasons at the St. Landry Parish school, Zachery had a record of 36-20 that included an 8-4 mark and Division II state non-select quarterfinal loss at Plaquemine in 20204.
Opelousas became the sixth double-digit seed in LHSAA history to win a state championship. Zachery was named the Class 4A Coach of the Year by both the LSWA and GeauxPreps.
“I’m really proud,” Zachery said of his time at OHS. “It’s home, so it’s going to hit a little different. For me to be the guy with the opportunity to come back and be the coach at my alma mater, and turn it around and do well in the position and get kids to go play on the next level, it’s really overwhelming.
“I’m happy with the job I did,” Zachery said. “I’m thankful to the community, thankful for our players, administration, teachers and coaches. You can have all of the Xs and Os you want, but you’ve still got to go out and perform. I’m not a one-man army. I can’t do it by myself. It’s no easy way to say goodbye.”
After a two-year junior varsity program, Liberty (9-2) won the District 6-4A championship in its first full varsity season under then coach Dray Trosclair. The Patriots, led by eventual LSU signee Kaleb Jackson, advanced to the regional round of the Division II select playoff before being eliminated by eventual state champion St. Thomas More.
The program has undergone annual change with Korey Lindsey leaving after one year to join the coaching staff at Central followed by Boone last season.
“In the past we had some success real early in 4A,” White said. “When you’re building a football program, in your second year of playing 5A football, it’s very tough. We thought coach Lindsey was our guy and really liked him and the things he was doing. He got a job offer he couldn’t turn down at Central and made a move for his career.
“We decided to go in a different direction,” White said after the 2024 season. “Coach Boone was a great guy but we decided to do something different as it relates to the overall program. This year going in, coach Zachery’s philosophies, views and what it takes to win, we were all on the same page. We thought it was a good match with what we’re trying to accomplish here with our football program.”
Zachery said he plans to implement a multiple system that takes advantage of having players in the right place to be successful.
“We’re going to put kids in the best position,” he said. “You have some skilled kids, you have some bigs and running backs. We’re no strangers to having good running backs and we’ll going to see what we can do.”
The opportunity to coach at the Class 5A level is something that also appealed to Zachery along with the school’s magnet curriculum.
He’ll be doing so against a district that features Central and Zachary who have both Division I non-select state championships, while Catholic High has done the same in the select division.
“They have athletes there and I think we’ll be able to get some good kids coming in there,” he said. “Just getting somebody to love on them and help push them and pull the best out of them. I believe I can do that. I’m just ready for the challenge and to get it going. I wanted to advance in my career and not rot in a position.
“This was a good time and Liberty’s a great school, in a great situation with great kids and administration,” he said. “It’s a great district. It’s going to be competitive every week. Those are the kind of games I want. When I was at East Ascension the district was like that with Catholic, Woodlawn and St. Amant and Dutchtown. I’m used to that level of competition. I want it. I’m anxious to see where I’m at.”
White said Zachery has accepted the challenge of raising the level of the school’s football program.
“A lot of times it’s not every day you see a dedicated magnet school where student athletes maintain a 2.5 and higher and thrive in traditional sports,” he said. “Our vision is for our student athletes to thrive in the classroom at a dedicated magnet school but also be able to compete in a 5A district and possibly give ourselves a chance to advance far in the playoffs. I know coach Zachery wants to win at the 5A level. He’s not accepting this job just to come in and build a team. He’s going to do what he has to do to build a program to try and compete at the highest level.”