Football Coaching Openings

Hon Dines

All-Conference
Aug 21, 2002
25,896
4,072
113
Cochrane Middle School is the middle school for the Cochran Collegiate Academy(iMECK Academy). They are starting up a football program. Website has no coach listed. Will SG take it?
 

Hon Dines

All-Conference
Aug 21, 2002
25,896
4,072
113
  • Coaching Staff Reinstatement: In February 2026, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) reinstated veteran coach Sam Greiner, a two-time state champion who previously led West Charlotte High School to a title. As of January 26, 2026, he has been reassigned to Cochrane Collegiate Academy, signaling a significant leadership addition to the program for the upcoming season.
 
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Bigdadd1110

All-Conference
Jun 9, 2004
12,216
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Cochrane Middle School is the middle school for the Cochran Collegiate Academy(iMECK Academy). They are starting up a football program. Website has no coach listed. Will SG take it?
Highly doubt it. Keep an eye out for much bigger things for Coach Greiner.....

Cochrane was a former middle school that became a collegiate academy. Their players can play at their home schools or Garinger IIRC for the HS level. Cochrane was once the MS/Jr High sports giant in Charlotte. They don't emphasize sports at all and barely have enough players to participate at the MS level.
 

Jame803

Redshirt
Feb 11, 2026
1
0
1
Highly doubt it. Keep an eye out for much bigger things for Coach Greiner.....

Cochrane was a former middle school that became a collegiate academy. Their players can play at their home schools or Garinger IIRC for the HS level. Cochrane was once the MS/Jr High sports giant in Charlotte. They don't emphasize sports at all and barely have enough players to participate at the MS level.
The middle school portion of Cochrane is still pulling from the neighborhood. It's just one of the worst neighborhoods in Charlotte. And since it feeds Garinger, anyone who can gets their kid somewhere else. The iMeck portion was always odd. It's listed as an Academy of Global Influencers, which sounds like they're training for TikTok. The list of things they do reads as a top 5 of first jobs replaced by AI.
 

Powidz

Senior
Dec 24, 2003
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Me too. Is there more to it we are missing? His last 5 years at 71st have been nothing short of amazing. Hoke has been a really tough spot.
I would have to assume it's about money. For whatever reason the last Hoke County head coach was the highest paid coach in the entire state even though Hoke has been historically a losing program in football.
 

Rambleon22

Redshirt
Dec 19, 2025
14
5
3
Cash. He's had a great run at traditional powerhouse of the Sandhills, 71st. If he gets the other support needed he should be good to go at Hoke. Lots of hurdles to clear, but if anyone can win there he will. It's a one school county and they will pay the HFC unlike Cumberland County. Remember Bailey left Britt for Scotland. Congrats to Hoke and Coach McLaurin!
 
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Goldendomer10

All-Conference
Oct 4, 2022
776
1,423
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I would have to assume it's about money. For whatever reason the last Hoke County head coach was the highest paid coach in the entire state even though Hoke has been historically a losing program in football.
It has been mentioned before that the previous Hoke coach had a doctorate and also had some other responsibilities besides coaching. I’m not sure if everyone would get that pay but maybe so.
 
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Powidz

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Its a big loss for 71st but they will always prosper. They had a similar loss when Bobby Poss left 71st for South View in 1988 right after a great few years for 71st. Somehow they always find a way to bounce back from coaching losses or losing athletes to new schools being built that take away athletes. Going back 50 years they lost athletes to new schools Douglas Byrd, South View, Westover, Jack Britt but they always somehow make it back to success. Edit to add they also lost legendary coach Paroli at 71st after winning it all in 2008. They suffer a short term of success at the top but they never seem to bottom out and before you know it they become a powerhouse yet again and go on a 5 year run of domination again at the local and state level. Not only in football but the same can be stated for their basketball program. They never posted a successful run of excellence like say Indy at the top, but the amount of times they have quietly survived coaching changes and heavy losses of athletes to new schools only to get back to the top yet again and again is literally phenomenal and not recognized or talked about enough. Going back to my early days Ive been following 71st since the very early 1970s when the had Marvin Powell. A truly great program in the state.
 
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Powidz

Senior
Dec 24, 2003
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Me too. Is there more to it we are missing? His last 5 years at 71st have been nothing short of amazing. Hoke has been a really tough spot.
There was a little talk/smoke here 2 years ago by Richmond fans insiders that Richmond was pursuing him. I dont know if there were any legs to it or if it was just wishful thinking by Richmond fans. I speculated then it was a long shot unless he would be getting a significant raise. It appears he now maybe has and 71st itself is very close to the Hoke County line. In theory he could maintain his current home without even moving for new job. I dont know him at all personally but Nepsy does.
 

Bigdadd1110

All-Conference
Jun 9, 2004
12,216
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There was a little talk/smoke here 2 years ago by Richmond fans insiders that Richmond was pursuing him. I dont know if there were any legs to it or if it was just wishful thinking by Richmond fans. I speculated then it was a long shot unless he would be getting a significant raise. It appears he now maybe has and 71st itself is very close to the Hoke County line. In theory he could maintain his current home without even moving for new job. I dont know him at all personally but Nepsy does.
You are right he can still live in his current home. McLaurin at RC interesting. Denson has done a great job at turning RC around. Coaching fits really matter.
 
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Powidz

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You are right he can still live in his current home. McLaurin at RC interesting. Denson has done a great job at turning RC around. Coaching fits really

You are right he can still live in his current home. McLaurin at RC interesting. Denson has done a great job at turning RC around. Coaching fits really matter.
Google says it's a 27 minute drive from 71st to Hoke High. Not bad and roads have improved but I actually thought it was even closer than that. Side note is Im astonished that they haven't built a second High School in Hoke County with recent growth there. Seemingly tons of new families moving there with improved/expanding roads combined with an aging housing market in Fayetteville. I truly feel the aging housing market in Fayetteville is the root cause of why so many Fayetteville teams have dropped down from 4A to 3A (or 7A to 6A equivalent with recent split). More and more families and incoming military families have elected to move out of existing neighborhoods that were built primarily in the late 1960s of very early 1970s or even prior to that and have aged and naturally declined. Now people are more mobile and seeking newer homes in Hoke, Harnett,Bladen, and even Moore counties while still working in Fayetteville or Fort Bragg, particularly with newer and expanded roads into Fayetteville and Fort Bragg ( the new 2-95 bypass comes to mind for example)
 
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sammyk32

Sophomore
Sep 30, 2025
86
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Google says it's a 27 minute drive from 71st to Hoke High. Not bad and roads have improved but I actually thought it was even closer than that. Side note is Im astonished that they haven't built a second High School in Hoke County with recent growth there. Seemingly tons of new families moving there with improved/expanding roads combined with an aging housing market in Fayetteville. I truly feel the aging housing market in Fayetteville is the root cause of why so many Fayetteville teams have dropped down from 4A to 3A (or 7A to 6A equivalent with recent split)
Be quiet before you know it there will be a charter school in Hoke County
 

Rambleon22

Redshirt
Dec 19, 2025
14
5
3
Be quiet before you know it there will be a charter school in Hoke County
That won't happen anytime soon. McLaurin will have his choice of athletes in the county. The kids who don't want to attend Hoke, apply for the Early College. Those kids are still allowed to play Hoke and have transportation to the school for practice. ?Not enough money here for a charter yet. It's a great move for McLaurin if he can get the assistants, jobs, student discipline, and weight room right.
 
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sammyk32

Sophomore
Sep 30, 2025
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That won't happen anytime soon. McLaurin will have his choice of athletes in the county. The kids who don't want to attend Hoke, apply for the Early College. Those kids are still allowed to play Hoke and have transportation to the school for practice. ?Not enough money here for a charter yet. It's a great move for McLaurin if he can get the assistants, jobs, student discipline, and weight room right.
If Martin County can have enough money for a charter school Hoke county can. Hope it does not happen but with NC politics I would not be shocked
 

Powidz

Senior
Dec 24, 2003
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You are right he can still live in his current home. McLaurin at RC interesting. Denson has done a great job at turning RC around. Coaching fits really matter.
Yep the topic was definitely thrown out here right on this forum on another coaching change thread two years ago before Denson was ultimately hired. At least a few Richmond posters were clamoring for McLaurin but I really have no idea if there was any real interest or formal job offer from Richmond to McLaurin.
 
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Jul 5, 2025
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Cherokee HS - Hires TX Guyers (Former Avery Assistant and other mtn schools , coming back from GA)

West Craven Hires Dom Guglielmo comes from Missouri- Has ton of HS/College experience
 

sammyk32

Sophomore
Sep 30, 2025
86
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That is a really odd hire considering his record.
Well I remember some guy from Parkland that had a losing record then went to the state title with Rolesville. I think that he took some bullets early after his hire. Sometimes more talent and a new location can help. I am a fan of the underdog
 
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