Who are the winningest prep football coaches in Louisiana? Find an updated list here!

by Hunter Bower, GeauxPreps.com Owner

The Louisiana Sports Writers Association has released its updated list of Louisiana’s all-time winningest football coaches prior to the start of the 2023 season.

Among the highlights are the active tenures of the state’s three winningest coaches. Legendary coach and the state’s wins leader, J.T. Curtis, is on the brink of history as he stands just seven wins shy of becoming the nation’s all-time winningest high school football coach. Summerville (SC) High School’s John McKissick holds the nation’s all-time mark with 621 career victories. Curtis became the first coach in Louisiana history to surpass the 600-win mark in 2021 with a 37-16 win over Archbishop Shaw.

Also included is St. Thomas More’s Jim Hightower who sits at 460 total wins while Notre Dame’s Lewis Cook needs only 8 wins to reach 400 career total victories.

Haynesville’s David Franklin etched his name into the history books last season as he became the 57th coach in Louisiana prep football history to win 200 games in his career. Franklin joins his father, Alton “Red” Franklin, as the only father-son duo to win 200 or more games in the history of high school football in Louisiana.

Other active coaches who are members of the elite 200-win club are Archbishop Shaw’s Hank Tierney (309), Ouachita Christian’s Steven Fitzhugh (240), North DeSoto’s Dennis Dunn (234), and Vandebilt Catholic’s Tommy Minton (225).

LSWA’s Louisiana Prep Football’s All-Time Wins List

Prior to 2023 Season

Coach	School	Years	W	L	T	PCT	Games
J.T. Curtis*	John Curtis	54	615	77	6	.885	698
Jim Hightower*	Catholic-PC, St. Thomas More	49	460	133	1	.774	595
Lewis Cook*	Rayne, Crowley, Notre Dame	36	392	92	0	.810	484
Alton “Red” Franklin	Haynesville	35	365	76	9	.821	450
Don Shows**	Farmerville, Jonesboro-Hodge, Pineville, West Monroe	32	345	78	0	.816	423
Dale Weiner	St. John, Trafton, Catholic-PC, Catholic-BR	35	317	109	0	.744	426
Vic Dalrymple	Oak Grove	32	312	102	0	.754	414
Racer Holstead**	Tallulah, Tallulah Academy	41	310	155	8	.664	473
Hank Tierney*	West Jefferson, Ponchatoula, Archbishop Shaw	35	309	123	0	.715	432
Dick McCloskey**	Hanson Memorial	39	286	141	6	.667	433
Frank Monica	Lutcher, Riverside, Jesuit, St. Charles	30	284	91	0	.757	375
George “Dee” Faircloth	Vidalia	45	274	197	6	.581	477
Dutton Wall**	Port Sulphur, Welsh, Sacred Heart-VP	38	273	153	2	.640	428
Johnny Buck**	Kinder, Opelousas Catholic	36	271	132	7	.670	410
L.J. “Hoss” Garrett**	Arcadia, Ruston	39	270	122	19	.680	411
Tim Detillier	St. Charles, Lutcher	30	266	112	0	.704	378
David Currier	Kentwood, Bowling Green	31	264	112	0	.702	376
Charlie Brown**	Neville	30	263	66	6	.794	335
Joe Keller**	Reserve	38	262	73	15	.770	350
Lewis Murray**	Bogalusa, Bowling Green	35	259	123	7	.675	389
Donnie Perron	Port Sulphur, Port Barre	29	257	93	0	.734	350
Jack Salter**	Covington	34	256	110	8	.695	374
Donald Currier	Woodland, West Feliciana, Franklinton, Amite	31	254	111	1	.695	366
Wayne Reese**	B.T. Washington, Carver, Washington-Marion, McDonogh 35	39	252	188	0	.573	440
Carroll Delahoussaye	St. Martinville	28	246	92	1	.727	339
Jimmie Morris**	Welsh, Loranger	31	243	136	0	.641	379
Steven Fitzhugh*	Ouachita Christian	24	240	78	0	.755	318
Jimmy Shaver	Barbe	27	238	100	0	.704	338
James Waguespack**	St. James, Cecilia, Beau Chene	35	238	158	0	.601	396
Bobby McHalffrey**	Ferriday, Haughton, Plain Dealing Academy	35	237	127	2	.650	366
Paul Trosclair	Eunice	26	237	107	0	.689	344
Travis Farrar**	Springhill	32	236	110	9	.677	355
Don Jones	Wisner, Sterlington, Plaquemine, Crowley, Woodlawn-BR, Patterson	35	236	146	3	.617	385
Dennis Dunn*	Woodlawn-SH, Evangel, Pineville, North DeSoto	24	234	74	0	.760	308
Henry Crosby**	Lincoln, West Jefferson, Douglass	31	229	93	0	.711	322
Larry Dauterive	Winnfield, E. Ascension, Riverside, Opelousas Catholic, East St. John, Opelousas	26	228	85	1	.728	314
Raymond Peace**	Sicily Island	26	228	58	5	.792	291
Jay Roth	Archbishop Rummel	23	228	58	0	.797	286
Laury Dupont	Thibodaux, West St. John, Vandebilt Catholic	27	227	101	0	.692	328
Roman Bates**	Capitol, Christian Life	35	225	158	6	.586	389
Tommy Minton*	Plaquemine, Central Catholic, Vandebilt Catholic	29	225	116	0	.660	341
Lee Hedges**	Byrd, Woodlawn-SH, Captain Shreve	28	216	92	10	.695	318
Parry LaLande	South Cameron	28	215	101	1	.680	317
Rusty Phelps	Newellton, Jennings	27	214	146	0	.594	360
Woody Boyles**	Oak Grove, River Oaks	31	210	83	10	.710	303
Max Caldarera**	Westlake	34	210	165	0	.560	375
David Franklin*	Haynesville	21	207	62	0	.770	269
Charles Baglio	Independence	22	206	61	0	.772	267
Elton Shaw	Assumption, Kentwood, Jewel Sumner, Valley Forge	29	206	109	5	.652	320
Lucas “Buddy” Marcello	Vandebilt Catholic, South Terrebonne	31	205	105	12	.655	322
Charles “Hoss” Newman**	Lake Providence, Winnfield, Benton, Trinity Heights	32	205	119	7	.630	331
Keith “Moose” Munyan	Mangham, LaSalle	27	204	93	6	.683	303
Bobby Conlin**	Brother Martin	27	203	100	5	.667	308
Tony Reginelli	Newman	26	203	63	0	.763	266
Kirk Crochet	Loreauville	28	201	122	0	.622	323
Robert Hannah	River Oaks	27	201	113	0	.640	314
Mike Mowad	Breaux Bridge	26	200	98	0	.671	298