VARNELL, Ga. — Coahulla Creek High School introduced Caleb Bagley as its new head football coach Friday morning.

Bagley, a graduate of Murray County High School who has previously had assistant coaching positions at Coahulla Creek, Gilmer, North Murray, Northwest Whitfield and Southeast Whitfield, will be the third head coach in the program’s history as it enters its sixth season of varsity football in 2017.

A self-described disciple of longtime Murray County coach and current Dalton offensive coordinator Bill Napier, Bagley spent the 2016 season as the offensive coordinator at North Murray and helped lead the school to its first winning season, first playoff appearance and first playoff victory. The Mountaineers finished the season 8-4 and lost to Peach County in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.

Coahulla Creek Principal Tracy Mardis declined to specify how many people applied for the job, but said there were applicants from multiple states, including Florida and South Carolina. A search committee of eight, which included Mardis and Athletic Director Bob Brotherton as well as other faculty members, coaches and parents, narrowed the list down to seven, all of whom were from Georgia. After conducting interviews, Mardis said Bagley stood out because of his high energy and his ties to the community.

Bagley graduated from Murray County in 2004 and played football at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Ala. He joined the staff at Southeast Whitfield out of college for the 2009-10 seasons, then spent two years at Northwest Whitfield before one-year stints at Coahulla Creek, Gilmer and North Murray. 

Bagley follows Chad Barger, who resigned on Sept. 12 three games into the season. Offensive coordinator Dan Tierney and defensive coordinator Chad Murray were co-interim head coaches for the final seven games.The Colts were 2-21 in 23 games under Barger and are 6-44 in five varsity seasons after finishing 2016 at 0-10.