Macon County head football Dexter Copeland says he’s retiring
Dexter Copeland, the head coach of Macon County High School's football team, says he’s retiring after more than 20 years as a head coach, which included a state championship win.
MONTEZUMA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Dexter Copeland, the head coach of Macon County High School’s football team, says he’s retiring after more than 20 years as a head coach, which included a state championship win.
Copeland, who has a record of 177-90 in 23 seasons, confirmed his retirement to 41NBC on Friday night, replying, “Yes sir” to a message asking him to confirm other online reports, but he has not yet released a formal statement. He did say he planned to finish the school year as a teacher.
Copeland took over the Macon County program in 2015, leading the Bulldogs to the GHSA playoffs in each of his nine seasons and winning the Class A championship in 2016. His career also included significant time at Twiggs County, where he served as head coach from 2001 to 2009 and then again in 2014. Under his leadership, the Cobras made three state quarterfinals appearances.
Copeland at Twiggs County in 2014
Between his stops at Twiggs County, Copeland led Baldwin’s program. There, his teams made the playoffs in three of four seasons, but the Braves had a descending trajectory in wins, starting from a high of 10 in his first season to just three in his last.
“You always hear that slogan that the grass is not always greener on the other side,” he told 41NBC’s Tucker Sargent in 2014. “You have to go to the other side to find out. I found out.”
Baldwin parted ways with Copeland after the 2013 season, so he was back on the market and needing a job. He just wasn’t as marketable as he’d been in 2010.
“I noticed Twiggs had a coaching change, and I made a phone call to kind of see,” Copeland said in 2014. “I had to apply again like I did 10 years ago. We interviewed, and I was hoping a chance would come for me to get the job again. Interviewed for it, interview went real well, and I landed back here at Twiggs.”
Twiggs County, which had won just seven games in the four seasons Copeland spent at Baldwin, won once in his lone season back.
Copeland then took the head job at Macon County, building on a solid foundation laid by his predecessor Larry Harold and leading the Bulldogs to four state quarterfinals appearances and the state title in 2016.
His 2023 team went 10-3, falling to Telfair County in the quarterfinals.
In all, his teams have won seven region championships and made the playoffs in 19 of 23 seasons.
41NBC has reached out to Macon County High School Principal Jamal Harris for a statement on the school’s behalf and is awaiting a response.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
