Valdosta State begins its search for their next head football coach

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Valdosta State’s Athletic Director Herb Reinhard said, “You probably could’ve knocked me over with a feather. None of us saw this coming.” following his conversation with now-former head football coach Gary Goff when he told him he was leaving for McNeese State.

This news comes just after the Blazers fell in the Division II national championship game.

Reinhard said he did not know prior to Saturday that Goff was leaving. He said Goff wasn’t looking for another job, but he was presented with an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

Coach Goff spent the last three seasons as the Blazers head football coach.

He amassed a 22-3 record, one national championship appearance, and one conference title. Goff was named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year in 2021, and Co-Coach of the Year in 2019.

While the team never saw the field in 2020 due to the pandemic, Reinhard said it was one of Goff’s most successful years.

Laying the foundation for what this Blazers program can be moving forward.

”I absolutely can not think of a better coach than I could’ve had hereto deal with what we dealt with over the last three years. How he handled the COVID year with our football team is something I am most appreciative of,” said Reinhard.

He continued, “I think the way that he handled COVID with the team is really the reason we were able to have the season we did this year.”

Now Reinhard looks to hire his seventh head football coach.

Our goal will be to do it as fast as we can but my goal more so is to make sure we do it right. I believe that the players, I hope that the players have enough trust in us and have seen our track record that we have had some success bringing in good, quality coaches that they will give us the opportunity to do what we need to do before they let emotion have them make a decision in regards to the transfer portal,” said Reinhard.

Reinhard said there’s no timeline on the coaching search, but revealed he’s already received tons of interest in the position.