Rockmart alum approved as new Pepperell head coach
♦ Brandon Haywood is a former player and assistant coach for the Yellow Jackets.
Brandon Haywood, a former standout quarterback and assistant football coach at Rockmart High School, was approved as the new head football coach at Pepperell High School last week.
Haywood comes to Pepperell after serving the last two seasons as head coach at Woodland High in Bartow County where he accumulated a record of 3-17. He is a graduate of Rockmart High, where he played quarterback before going on to play collegiately at Carson-Newman University.
“I am excited about the opportunity to lead the Pepperell football program, which is known to be rich in tradition, prestige and a standard of excellence,” Haywood said in a release. “I would be lying if I didn’t say this transition has not been an emotional one as I have connected and built so many meaningful relationships with the players, coaches, school staff and community at Woodland. At this time, I have been called in another direction, and I am blessed for this opportunity. My family and I are ready to see what is next for us here in Lindale. Go Dragons!”
Haywood takes over for Rick Hurst, who stepped down as head coach at Pepperell following the 2023 season after nine years at the school in which he went 61-40, won a region title in 2016 and led the Dragons to four playoff victories.
Prior to taking over as head coach at Woodland, Haywood spent time as an assistant coach at multiple stops. He was the offensive coordinator at Rockmart from 2019-21, offensive coordinator at Cass in 2018 and running backs coach at River Ridge from 2013-17.
During his time as an assistant, he was a part of three consecutive region championships and 24 consecutive region wins at Rockmart, while also being named the Ray Face Assistant Coach of the Year for Cherokee County in 2015 and was selected to coach in the GACA North vs. South All-Star Game in 2018.
“Pepperell High School is tremendously excited about welcoming Coach Brandon Haywood and his family to Dragon Country as the new head football coach,” Pepperell High principal Jason Kouns said in the release. “Based on
Brandon’s regional connection as both an athlete and head coach, he is well aware of the tradition behind Pepperell football and our expectation of excellence. Coach Haywood is well versed on the Lindale and Silver Creek areas, and I have no question he will take Dragon Football to new heights.”
While at Woodland, one of Haywood’s priorities
was building up the feeder programs at the middle school level as he was able to combine students at Red Top Middle and Woodland Middle to create the Woodland Middle football program that ended up consisting of more than 70 players. The team finished in third place in the league in its first year.
“I am so excited to have Coach Haywood (and family)
join our Pepperell Community,” Pepperell Middle principal Courtney Hampton said. “We agree on the importance of feeder programs and look forward to working with Coach Haywood, as we support Pepperell High School at the middle school level.”
Haywood graduated from Carson-Newman with a degree in psychology after a decorated football
career as a quarterback, in which he was named AllSAC first-team, Offensive MVP and All-SAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He has also earned an educator preparation degree from the University of West Florida in 2015, a master’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University in 2017 and a specialist degree from Walden University in 2020.
Haywood and his wife, Whitney, have two children, Ryleigh and Bryson.
Haywood is the second new head football coach approved in the Floyd County School system this month after Geoff Cannon was named the new Coosa head coach in early January to replace Joey Mathis, who stepped down following the 2023 season after four years at the school.