Stacy Ballew Named Byrd Head Football Coach
SHREVEPORT – For the first time in over two decades, C.E. Byrd High School will have a new head football coach patrolling the sidelines in the fall.
Byrd principal Gerry Badgley released an announcement Sunday afternoon naming Byrd assistant coach Stacy Ballew to the top job.
Ballew replaces legendary coach Mike Suggs, who retired last month following a 22-year tenure at the Shreveport school.
It’s an honor to be selected as the next head football coach at Byrd,” said Ballew. “I’m excited about our future and continuing the tradition of developing and molding kids into great young men.”
The transition from an assistant to head coach will be different but one of ease for Ballew who has been on staff at Byrd since 2002. The former Yellow Jacket player has served as the program’s defensive coordinator and was essential in leading the team to Division I state championship appearances in 2013 and 2020.
Ballew started his coaching career on the Byrd sidelines where he served as an assistant for four seasons before taking a job at Granbury High School in 2001.
In other coaching news around the state, Matt Middleton moves over to Cedar Creek as head coach after in the same position at West Ouachita the last few years. Buster Duplissey stepped down at Caldwell Parish and named Spartan defensive coordinator Jimmy Sampson as his replacement.
Vinnie Bullara was promoted to head coach at Catholic-PC following the departure of David Simoneaux, who took over the head job at Catholic-BC. Eric Holdon replaces Doug Dotson at Comeaux while Kyron Benoit moved up to the head coaching role at Crowley.
Northwood-Lena head football coach Justin Webb stepped down to take over as defensive coordinator at Pineville High School while Charlie Cryer also resigned from Pope John Paul II. Philip Piggot takes over the Jaguars program after serving at Biloxi High School.
St. Michael head coach Joey Sanchez stepped down and moved over to Walker High School where he will serve as athletic director. Offensive coordinator Zach Lege takes over the reins for the program starting the fall.
Breaux Bridge is currently interviewing candidates for its head coaching position while Westminster Academy is set to name a replacement during the coming week.
Northwood-Lena will conduct interviews this week for its head coaching position and North Central will close the application process on April 16
Below is a list of schools that have found or are currently searching for a new head football coach. A special thanks to Alex Newell for helping to compile the list.
2021 LHSAA FOOTBALL COACHING CAROUSEL
| School | Former Coach | New Coach |
| Albany | Mike Janis | David Knight, Albany DC |
| Bogalusa | Adam Brumfield | Cyril Crutchfield, Broadmoor HC |
| Breaux Bridge | Chad Pourciau | |
| Broadmoor | Cyril Crutchfield | Jacobi Theirry, former North Central HC |
| Caldwell Parish | Buster Duplissey | Jimmy Sampson, Caldwell Parish DC |
| Catholic-BR | Gabe Fertitta | David Simoneaux, Catholic-PC HC |
| Catholic-PC | David Simoneaux | Vinnie Bullara, Catholic-PC OC |
| C.E. Byrd | Mike Suggs | Stacey Ballew, C.E. Byrd DC |
| Cedar Creek | Shannon Brown | Matt Middleton, West Ouachita HC |
| Comeaux | Doug Dotson | Eric Holden, former St. John/Berwick HC |
| Crowley | Jeptha Wall | Kyron Benoit, Crowley DC |
| De La Salle | Ryan Manale | Graham Jarrott, Rummel OC |
| Elton | Donnie Bruchhaus | |
| Green Oaks | Terrence Isaac, Sr. | Chadwick Lewis, Port Allen OC |
| Higgins | Brandon Thibodeaux | Clifford Harris, John Ehret AC |
| Jesuit | Scott Bairnsfather | Ryan Manale, De La Salle HC |
| Kaplan | Tank Lotief | |
| Lafayette Christian | Jacarde Carter | |
| Livingston Collegiate | Blake Thompson | |
| Madison Parish | Landry Carter | |
| McKinley | Richard Oliver | Malcolm Reed, St. Amant AC |
| North Central | Oliver Thierry | |
| Northeast | David Masterson | Devyn Baker, Liberty DC |
| Northshore | Josh Buelle | Bobby Sanders, Northshore OC |
| Northwood-Lena | Justin Webb | |
| Pearl River | Joe Harris | Mike LaBourdette, Pearl River DC |
| Pine Prairie | David-Michael Carrell | Richard Clark, Pine Prairie interim HC |
| Pineville | Darin Moore | Bryant Bell, Tioga DC |
| Pope John Paul II | Charlie Cryer | Philip Pigot, Biloxi (MS) DC |
| Sam Houston | Chad Paulk | Chad Davis, Sam Houston OC |
| Slaughter Charter | Craig Kuester | |
| Sophie B. Wright | Dennis Christopher | Kenneth Dorsey, B.T. Washington-NO AC |
| St. Charles | Frank Monica | Wayne Stein, St. Charles DC |
| St. John | Eric Holden | Coby Minton, Central Catholic OC |
| St. Michael | Joey Sanchez | Zach Lege, St. Michael OC |
| Varnado | Milton Green | Adam Brumfield, Bogaulsa HC |
| Washington-Marion | Toriano Williams | Jules Sullen, former Hamilton Christian HC |
| West St. Mary | Clifton Amelin | |
| Westminster Christian | Patrick Clarkston | |
| Woodlawn-SH | C.J. Byrd | Thedrick Harris, former Marshall, TX HC |