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On Monday, April 7, Coffee County Central High School announced that Marion County assistant coach Brandon Harmon will be the next head football coach of the Red Raiders.

“I’m extremely excited for not only myself, but my family as well,” Harmon said of the opportunity. “Throughout this process, Mr. Parsley, Coach McWhorter and Coach Costello have been very welcoming. We all have a vision for what Coffee County can be, and I’m extremely excited to get my feet on the ground here and get to working.”

Harmon believes that he will be in Manchester for the long haul, hoping to not only build a great football program, but also to settle down with his family.

“Things take time,” said Harmon. “I don’t think that you could anticipate any major change overnight. During the interview process, it was made very clear that I and the administration were seeking the same goals. They want someone long term that’s going to develop and create fine young men, not just to play football, but to carry on through life. My family and I are in a place where we want to be able to settle down and see the fruits of our labor through more than just a three or four year stint.”

Harmon will be a first-year head coach when he takes over coaching duties from Roger Haynes, who spent only one season as head coach and almost four years with the CCCHS football program. Haynes announced his resignation from the position back on March 10, citing health issues and staffing problems.

Harmon’s previous job at Marion County as an assistant coach, linebacker coach and strength and conditioning coach ended with the 2024 Class 2A State Championship and the Warriors’ first in nearly two decades.

Harmon also recently spent time at Coosa High School in Rome, Georgia, where he worked as an assistant coach, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and strength coach at various points in a three-year period from 2020-23, and at Cleveland High School (TN), where he served as a defensive coordinator from 2018-20. In total, Harmon has over 14 years of coaching experience.

Harmon spent his high school years playing football at Enka High School in North Carolina, then continued his playing career at Carson-Newman University, where he graduated with a physical education degree in 2010.

The CCCHS Athletic Department released the following statement regarding the coaching hire on Monday morning:

“We are very excited to have Coach Harmon as our next head football coach here at Coffee County Central,” CCCHS Co-Athletic Director Brandon McWhorter said in the statement. “We were impressed with him throughout the interview process and knew he was the right coach the moment the interview had ended. Coach Harmon will bring a lot of energy and passion to our program.”