Coach Benji Harrison
Benji Harrison, the former offensive coordinator at Flowery Branch High School, was named the new head football coach at Jackson County Comprehensive High School Monday morning.
The decision was made after a one-hour executive session convened Monday by the Jackson County Board of Education. Superintendent Dr. Shannon Adams approved Harrison as a teacher and head football coach.
Harrison will become the 11th head coach in the 31-year history of the program and replaces Billy Kirk, who resigned as head coach in late November after five seasons with the Panthers.
While his contract will begin in July, Principal Scott Smith said Harrison may be seen around the campus as soon as Tuesday.
“I look for him to be on campus after school building relationships with players, their parents and the community,” said Smith.
Smith said the selection process used was designed to find the best coaches and teachers, and he says he is well pleased with Harrison, whom he describes as “the total package.”
At Flowery Branch High School, Harrison has been teaching Honors Social Studies. Since 2008, he has taught ninth grade World History, junior and senior Government/Economics/Individual Law, 10th grade U.S. History and E2020 Credit Recovery.
Harrison was recommended from the 50 applicants. Six persons were interviewed and fielded a series of 30 questions which helped determine which candidate would be the best person for the job. A list of expectations was developed to include attributes for the next head football coach, among those to be an excellent educator, have the ability to build community both inside and outside the school with interpersonal and communication skills.
Harrison was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with the Flowery Branch team which went to the 2011 state quarter-finals, putting together an 11-2 record.
From 2008-2010, Harrison served as an assistant offensive coach primarily responsible for quarterbacks while assisting with offensive planning and play calling. Flowery Branch went a combined 32-7 in that three-year span and reached the state playoffs all three seasons, including finishing as the state runner-up in 2008 and making the state semi-finals in 2009.
Before coming to Flowery Branch, Harrison was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach as well as quarterbacks coach at Franklin County High School in Carnesville from 2002-07.
He served as quarterbacks coach for Elbert County High School in 2000-01, coaching back-to-back state play-off teams.
A high school athlete at Stephens County High School, Harrison, a quarterback, was a four-year letterman at Presbyterian College.
He earned his undergraduate degree from Presbyterian College in 2000 and earned a Master’s in Health Promotion from the University of Alabama in 2004.
Good hire but keep in mind the talent he has at Jackson County isn’t close to what he had to work with at Flowery Branch!