MOULTRIE — After leading two straight region-championship seasons that led to deep state playoff runs, Colquitt County coach Sean Calhoun is facing a rebuilding season in 2024.

The Packers went 13-1 in 2022, reaching the semifinals in Calhoun’s first season as head coach.

Last season, the Packers went 12-1 with a team loaded with talent, especially on the offensive side of the football.

But with 17 starters gone from that 2023 team, Calhoun will send out a new-look group of Packers this year.

“It’s challenging and exciting,” Calhoun said on the eve of the 2024 season.

“I know ‘potential’ can be a dangerous word. But we believe our kids will rise to the occasion. We think we have the coaches and the players to make this a memorable year.”

Calhoun has been part of four Colquitt County teams that have had memorable seasons.

He was a key offensive member of coach Rush Propst’s staffs that won 30 straight games and captured back-to-back state championships in 2014 and 2015.

He was the passing game coordinator in 2014 when quarterback Chase Parrish and receivers Kiel Pollard, Ty Lee, Marquan Greene and others helped the Packers score 687 points.

The next year, when Calhoun was the offensive coordinator, the Packers, with Parrish, Pollard and Lee, but without the graduated All-State running back Siheim King, scored 700 points and again vanquished all 15 opponents.

It was not unexpected when Calhoun then left to become a head coach for the first time, taking over the Carrollton program.

From 2016-2020, he led the Trojans to a 52-11 record, reaching the state quarterfinals each year. His teams averaged 36.5 points per game.

Carrollton went 33-6 in region games during that five-year span and won region titles in 2019 and 2020.

In 2021, he took over the Vestavia Hills program in Alabama and the Rebels posted at 4-6 record.

But when Justin Rogers left Colquitt County after building a 26-7 record in three seasons to take over the Thomas County Central program, Calhoun was eager to return to Moultrie.

Over the last two seasons, he led Colquitt County teams that had such outstanding offensive performers as record-setting quarterback Neko Fann, wide receiver Ny Carr and tight end Landen Thomas. Offensive tackle Turk Daniels started every game for four seasons.

Running back Charlie Pace rushed for 1,356 yards in 2022 and Ramsey Dennis and Day’Shawn Brown each ran for a shade under 1,000 yards last year.

The Packers defense had a number of outstanding performers as well, including Kamal Bonner, now at North Carolina State; Tyshon Reed Jr., now at Duke; and Nick Pace, who signed at Jacksonville State.

After going 25-2 over the last two seasons, Calhoun now has an overall record of 81-19.

Calhoun was born in Atlanta and played quarterback at Berkmar High School in Lilburn.

He went on to play at Valdosta State as a walk-on quarterback from 2000-2004. The Blazers won the Division II National Championship his senior year.

He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and specialist degrees at Valdosta State.

Calhoun started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northern State in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 2005.

He met his future wife Kellie at Northern State, where she was an outstanding volleyball player.

At Aberdeen Central High School, she was a versatile, top-notch athlete, playing volleyball and basketball and competing in track and field.

She earned the Miss Volleyball Award for South Dakota and in 2003 was named to the Aberdeen Sports Hall of Fame.

She was a coach for the Pathfinder Volleyball Club while in Carrollton and this year will coach Colquitt County’s middle school volleyball team.

Sean returned to Valdosta State in 2006 to coach the quarterbacks and also handle the running backs on the 2007 Division II National Championship team.

He spent the next two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Berrien High under head coach Ryan Branch.

While at Berrien, he also coached basketball and was the Rebels boys track coach. Kellie coached the girls track team.

From 2010-2013, Sean was an offensive assistant at Collins Hill High in Suwanee.

The Eagles made the playoffs each of his four seasons in Suwanee and reached the semifinals in 2010.

In his final season at Collins Hill, the Eagles reached the quarterfinals and averaged 39.3 points a game.

Old Spice National Player of the Year for Georgia and future NFL quarterback Taylor Heinicke led the offense during Calhoun’s stay at Collins Hill.

In 2014, Propst convinced him to come south to Moultrie and he immediately was instrumental in the two straight undefeated state championship seasons.

Sean and Kellie have three children: son Cade, 14, and daughters Cora, 12, and Cambry Jo, 9.