2021 LHSAA Class 2A Football Coaching Changes
by Hunter Bower // GeauxPreps.com Owner
Behind The Changes
Number of hires: 10
Best hire: D’Arbonne Woods, Tommy Tharp
Hardest to replace: Frank Monica, St. Charles Catholic
Best job: Lafayette Christian
Toughest job: West St. Mary
Most interesting: Jeff Harper has some huge shoes to fill over in Coushatta. John Bachman is synonymous with success in Northwest Louisiana high school football and his stint at Red River was no different. Bachman helped led the Bulldogs to a quarterfinal appearance in his first season and developed multiple all-state and all-district honorees. Harper has a knack for developing quarterbacks and providing a high-octane offensive experience that could bring a boost to the Red River program. Expect the train to continue to roll for Harper and his squad as they compete in one of Louisiana high school football’s most competitive regions.
District 1
D’Arbonne Woods hired Tommy Tharp to replace Thomas McBroom. A veteran coach with three state championship appearances under his belt, Tharp knows how to turn a good program into a great program in due time. He re-established Mangham as a football powerhouse during his 10 seasons with the program, eventually leading the Dragons to three consecutive title appearances before stepping down to take a coordinator role at Winnfield. Tharp takes over a D’Arbonne Woods program who has struggled over the last few years having won only six games in five seasons. The Timberwolves only playoff appearances occurred back in 2016.
District 2
Madison Parish hired Milton Green to replace Landry Carter, who accepted a head coaching position at Delhi. Green makes the mover after serving two seasons as the head coach at Varnado, who competed in a tough district that included Kentwood and St. Helena. Green also has served at Mississippi schools such as Vicksburg and and Canton before making the move into Louisiana. Madison Parish made its first playoff appearance in six years and finished 3-6 last season.
District 3
Red River hired Jeff Harper to replace John Bachman, who moved over to Evangel as an assistant. Harper was brought on by Bachman shortly before spring practice but was quickly elevated to the head position. The first-year head coach has previous experience helping to mentor and train student-athletes across Northwest Louisiana. Harper started Gunslinger Quarterback Academy where he has trained and invested in some of the top quarterbacks in the area. Red River was 28-18 during Bachman’s four seasons at the helm that also included a quarterfinal run in 2017.
District 5
Pickering hired Jared Underwood to replace Ryan Russo, who stepped down as head coach last season. Underwood spent the last six years as an assistant at Hancock High School in Kiln, MS. He helped lead Sharkey-Issaquena Academy in Rolling Fork, MS to an MAIS state championship in 2014. During Russo’s tenure, the Red Devils compiled an 8-11 mark including the school’s first winning season in four years with a 5-4 record in 2020.
District 6
Lafayette Christian promoted Trev Faulk to replace Jacarde Carter. Faulk has been instrumental in the Knights’ overnight success which includes four consecutive state championships. The former LSU standout is immediately tasked with getting LCA back to the state title game this season in pursuit of becoming just the second Louisiana high school in history to win five straight championships. The Knights hold a 55-7 overall record over the last five seasons.
District 7
West St. Mary has yet to fill its head football coaching position as of posting. While school administration seeks to fill the open spot just weeks before the season opener, the successor will have minimal time to instill a winning attitude in a program that has not won more than four games in a season since 2011. West St. Mary’s string of four consecutive playoff appearances was snapped last season after finishing with a dismal 2-4 record.
District 8
Northeast hired Devyn Baker to replace David Masterson, who stepped away after 21 seasons at the helm of the program. Baker spent time at Liberty, Southern Lab and False River. His three-year stint as head coach at Slaughter Charter was essential in developing the new program. In Masterson’s last five seasons, the Vikings won 21 games and appeared in the playoffs four out of the five years. His 2017 squad finished 8-4 with a quarterfinal appearance.
District 9
Varnado hired Adam Brumfield to replace Milton Green, who took a similar job at Madison Parish. Brumfield makes the lateral move following a three-year stint at Bogalusa where he guided the Lumberjacks to two playoff appearances. The 17-year veteran inherits a Varnado program that has struggled as of late with its last playoff appearance coming in 2018. Brumfield was an assistant at Varnado for two years while also having coached at Franklinton.
District 10
Pope John Paul II hired Philip Pigott to replace Charlie Cryer, who stepped down following the 2020 season. Pigott returned home after previously having coached high school football in Mississippi. He most recently served as the defensive coordinator at Biloxi while having also served as head coach at Long Beach before. In his first season as defensive coordinator at Petal High School, he helped lead the team to a state championship. Pigott also coached in the collegiate ranks with stints at Northwestern State, Charleston Southern and Wofford. Cryer was 4-24 in three seasons as head coach with Jaguars that was highlighted by a playoff appearance in 2018.
District 11
St. Charles elevated long time assistant Wayne Stein to replace legendary coach Frank Monica, who retired after the 2020 season. Perhaps, the most logical move, St. Charles elected to moved Stein into the head position after having served 17 seasons as an assistant. He also serves as the school’s head baseball coach where he helped lead the program to a state title victory in 2019. Monica enjoyed great success in his final five seasons as head coach, leading the Comets to a 46-15 record as well as three state championship appearances.