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Dougherty decides on football coach

• Reportedly, the Trojans are set to hire former Shaw head coach Charles Flowers, pending approval.

Colin Chmielewski

ALBANY — According to a number of credible sources, The Herald has learned that former Shaw head coach Charles Flowers is expected to be approved today by the Dougherty County School Board as the next football coach at Dougherty.

The hire will likely draw a lot of attention, given Flowers’ past success. Flowers, who is currently the athletic director for Muscogee County, compiled a 16-year coaching record (the last 14 at Shaw) of 132-58. But most impressively, his final seven Shaw teams went 83-9, including a 15-0 mark and GHSA AAA title in 2000.

When contacted by phone Tuesday night, Flowers said he could neither confirm or deny whether he would be named the Trojans’ new football coach. But in conversations with various sources in Dougherty County, it was brought to light that the only thing remaining to be finalized with Flowers’ hire was the board’s approval — which could take place at today’s mid-monthly work session.

Flowers’ return to coaching may be a bit of a surprise, as he had just stepped down at Shaw after the 2005 season. But after only one year as the Muscogee County AD, Flowers appears set to return to the sidelines.

One source called it a “great move for Dougherty” and said “sometimes the itch to return to coaching” is too much.

Flowers will have a chance to scratch that itch with a Dougherty team that went 3-6 in 2006. Former head coach Carror Wright fielded an extremely young team, but was still only a couple plays from the postseason. Wright unexpectedly left for Southwest Macon this spring, after compiling a 23-13 mark in three seasons.

Dougherty will return most of its players, though, and have a shot to get back to its state finalist form of 2005 — which was the year the Trojans eliminated Flowers’ Shaw squad at the Georgia Dome.

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