(This is a column of opinion by SouthMiss6 Sports Director Curtis Rockwell)

LUCEDALE — Some recent unrest at the top of the George County Athletics program resulted in the school looking for a new Athletics Director.

And my question is, how could it be anyone but native son Brandon Davis?

Apparently, according to sources close to the situation, the search is winding down and a new AD could be in place soon. The number of applicants and of those interviewed was not made available by school officials, as is normally the case. But apparently both Davis and current head football coach James Ray both were granted sit-down interviews and appear at this point to be the front trunners for the position.

So, that means that the leaders in line to replace former AD Chris West are active head coaches in the two biggest male sports at the school. The position also includes the title of Chief Operations Officer, which West held as well.

So, the Rebels are in all likelihood going to be looking for a new head coach in a major boys’ sport later this year.

The COO position supervises transportation, school resource officers and the athletics department among other such duties as internal investigations and redistricting so it’s almost like an Assistant Superintendent job in other school systems across the state.

The job title itself is not a normal one that very many school systems across the state have. This post was created for Matt Caldwell after he stepped down as head football coach and AD in 2019 and Ray was elevated to lead the football team after serving as an assistant coach under Caldwell for several seasons.

West took over the job as COO/AD in 2022 after serving as Transportation Director.

West was arrested by the George County Sheriff’s Office in late August and charged with one count of Possession of Child Pornography and one count of Distribution of Child Pornography. Following an initial appearance with a George County Justice Court Judge, West was granted a $50,000.00 commercial bond on each count, totaling $100,000.00 in commercial bonds.

This investigation is being led by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.

“The George County School District has just been made aware of the allegations against Chris West and is fully cooperating with law enforcement in this matter.” Wade Whitney, Superintendent of Education for the George County School District said at the time of the arrest.

“The safety and well-being of our students is always our paramount concern. As with any personnel matter, we cannot comment on the specifics of the situation at this time.”

Whitney, apparently, will play a major factor in deciding who will replace West.

The issue here seems to be that the Rebels will lose a sitting head coach in one of the two biggest sports at the school because a person apparently can not serve in dual roles as both an active head coach and the additional duties of COO.

That might actually favor Ray in this case, unfortunately.

Ray already has the title of Athletics Coordinator. And the football team at GCHS hasn’t won a playoff game in 17 years, since 2007. The Rebels are 0-7 in the postseason since playing for the state championship that year, including 0-2 at home with a pair of first round losses in the past three years with Ray at the helm.

So depending on how his Rebels, who sit 5-3 overall currently, finish out the season Ray may be looking for another job anyway according to some observers.

Otherwise, it should be a no-brainer for Davis to be selected for the post. After all, he is George County High athletics through and through and arguably the most recognized name ever associated with the school from a historical standpoint.

Since winning a state title as a standout senior catcher for the Rebels in 1997, all Davis has done in his 13 years as a head coach is lead his alma mater to five overall state championship series including this past season when GCHS captured the school’s second state title by sweeping Warren Central in the Class 6A state finals.

The final win of the title series marked his 400th overall as a head coach. Davis was named the 2023-2024 “Coach of the Year” as presented by the Mississippi High School Association/National Federation of State High School Associations recently. There is only one award covering the entire state for each sport.

He was also named Class 6A Coach of the Year, alongside his son, Ben Davis, who received the Class 6A Player of the Year award as well.

Since graduating from GCHS in 1997, Davis hasn’t really lived more than a 45 minute drive from Lucedale. Upon graduation, the former Rebel stalwart played at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the University of South Alabama, then spent two years as an assistant with the Rebels before landing his first head coaching job in 2005 at Richton, some 40 miles north of Lucedale.

Richton won the Class 2A state championships under Davis in 2007, 2008 and 2010. He assumed control of the Rebel program before the start of the 2012 season.

And don’t just take it from me about my opinion that Davis should be the leader of the GCHS athletic department. Others who have enjoyed longstanding relationships with the school feel the same way.

“There is no one associated with George County High athletics or not associated with it that is a better candidate than Brandon,” Lucedale native and longtime resident of the city Darwin Nelson said. Nelson was a coach and a teacher at GCHS for four decades. He has lived in Lucedale almost his entire life and also recently served a four-year term as Mayor.

“He has deep roots in many facets of the community. He is a Rebel through and through. Sometimes the obvious choice for a job is sitting there right in front of you, and that is absolutely the case in this situation.”

But my thoughts are that Davis is not quite ready to end the coaching part of his career. And that’s quite understandable because not only does Ben return for his senior season but he has three elementary school-aged children currently including an 11-year-old son that was one of the Rebels’ biggest supporters this past year. I am sure he hopes to coach him on Claude Passeau Field one day as well.

So again, while it may not happen, no one is more deserving or qualified to be the leader of GCHS athletics than Brandon Davis. And hopefully, the powers to be in Lucedale see that as well and can figure out a way to make sure it happens.

(This is a column of opinion by SouthMiss6 Sports Director Curtis Rockwell)