Geohagan expected to be next Bibb County football coach
Demopolis High School defensive coordinator Matt Geohagan is expected to become the next head football coach at Bibb County pending approval from the Bibb Board of Education.
“Our family is very excited that Bibb County is willing to give us the opportunity to step into that role and join their community,” Geohagan said.
The head coaching job would be the first for Geohagan, who served under Doug Goodwin at both Demopolis High School and Russellville before returning to Demopolis before the 2010 season to take his first defensive coordinator opportunity.
“I feel like, for the last 10 years, this is a goal that my wife and I have been working toward,” Geohagan said. “We feel like this is what the Lord has equipped us for and our family four. He has put us in some good programs and given me the opportunity to learn under three, what I consider, Hall of Fame coaches.”
“Matt’s has attention to detail. He looks for every little thing. He is highly motivated and does not want to let anybody down,” former Demopolis coach Tom Causey said of Geohagan. “He has his priorities in order and he is going to do extremely well. He understands it’s going to take hard work and sacrifice.”
Located some 65 miles north of Demopolis, Bibb County has become familiar to Geohagan over the years, giving the coach ample opportunity to determine the quality of the Class 4A program.
“We used to play them back in 05 and 06 in football whenever we were in the same region. I was exposed to their program then. I think Bibb County has great community support, just like Demopolis. I think there will be an opportunity to field good teams and have an opportunity to compete for region championships year in and year out,” Geohagan said. “Traditionally they’ve had good athletes and I’m just excited to get in there and develop any talent that is there right now and put a good product on the field.”
As he heads into his first head coaching job, Geohagan calls upon his personal belief and ability to develop rapport with his players as his strongest points.
“I think I’m a guy that will make mistakes but I think I bring a lot of good things to the table. The kids will never have to wonder how I feel about them” Geohagan said. “I feel like God has given me this platform to glorify Him. The way that I glorify him is to try my best to impact the lives of young men. At the end of the day, the winning and losing will take care of itself as far as whatever my record will become. But I want to take care of these young men and mold them into becoming great husbands and fathers and members of society.”
Geohagan also credited Goodwin, Causey and new DHS coach Stacy Luker among others with helping to equip him for the opportunity he now readies to tackle.
“I’m so thankful for Coach Goodwin, Coach Causey and Coach Luker and what they’ve taught me as well as the assistant coaches I’ve worked on staff with,” Geohagan said.
With his second tenure in Demopolis coming to a close, Geohagan indicated that the toughest part of leaving is separating from the relationships he and his family have built over the last five years.
“I’m so thankful for the relationship and the friendships that the people of Demopolis have been willing to extend to myself and Coty. We’ve built relationships that will last a lifetime. I’m not leaving because I’m upset. I’m not leaving because I’m mad about anything. This is just a great opportunity to realize a goal that I’ve had for a lifetime. This place is very important to us. It’s where our first child was born,” Geohagan said. “I feel like the Lord brought us back here a second time to not only grow professionally, but to grow spiritually. We’re going to miss our friends here, but we know wherever we go, the relationships we’ve built in Demopolis will stay with us.”
Bibb County competes in Class 4A, Region 4. The Choctaws went 6-5 in 2014 while losing in the first round of the playoffs to Clarke County. Geohagan replaces outgoing coach Mike McCombs, who went 19-13 in three years with the Bibb County program.