“I know why Mickey left for Clemson.  Clemson has an easier schedule this year”

….incoming Grayson Coach Jeff Herron on why his predecessor Mickey Conn  went to join the Clemson staff.

Mickey Conn built the Grayson High School football program from scratch.   Beginning in 2000, Conn coached the Rams to a 137-48 record and a state championship in 2011 before heading off to join his former University of Alabama roommate Dabo Swinney at the University of Clemson.

But do not worry about the future of the Grayson football program.  Athletic Director Brian DeBerry has hired a Georgia high school legend to take over for the outgoing Georgia high school legend.

Jeff Herron is the new Ram’s coach and Jeff’s pedigree and resume are  second to none.  He has coached in Georgia for 26 seasons, winning 273 games, while losing just 51 and compiling an outstanding winning percentage of .843.  Add in that he has won four state championships, in 1999 at Oconee County and three with Camden County in 2003-2008 and 2009. The last three seasons he has coached Prince Avenue Christian to a 31-6 record.

“There was nothing wrong at Prince Avenue Christian. I am glad I came here.  But the competitor in me wanted to compete at the top level. It is a great situation at Grayson.  Mickey Conn did a great job for a lot of years and it was too good to pass up, I did not want to pass it up”

Jeff Herron will inherit a team that went 13-1 last season and is loaded with talent, led by quarterback Chase Brice.  “I have already met with the Grayson players. I told them I did not win any of the four state titles I was associated with.  It was a team effort and whatever we build here we will build together”

The 2016 Grayson schedule is challenging to say the least.  The Rams kick off the year with IMG Academy out of Florida.  The Rams also play Deerfield Beach, Florida, Ramsey, Alabama, and Coach Rush Propst of Colquitt County’s old stomping grounds in Hoover, Alabama.  Throw in McEachern and region rivals Archer, Newton, Shiloh, Rockdale County, and South Gwinnett and you have a world class schedule.

As for battling it out for a Class 7A state championship this year the new Grayson coach has these thoughts. “There is always a lot of talent in the state of Georgia.  When I was at Camden we always felt there were ten to twelve teams that could win it on any given year and we wanted to be in that mix. Right now Colquitt County has separated themselves a bit and it is up to the rest of us to catch up. There are several very talented teams right in Gwinnett County.”

So Grayson High School loses a terrific coach to college football and then signs up a terrific coach to take over.  Coach Herron hopes to be in place by mid-April and will definitely be ready to roll for spring practice.  The wins will keep on coming for the Grayson Rams.