NASHVILLE — Berrien High has its new head football coach. Jackson Dean was recently named to lead the program.

Dean has 14 years of varsity head coaching, according to the biography posted to Berrien High’s Facebook page. Most recently, he was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Cook.

“We’re excited to have him,” said Berrien athletic director Jarrett Luke.

Luke said he was impressed with the plan Dean presented for BHS. There are high hopes for the future, especially with Berrien Middle coming off a conference championship.

“He’s really energetic,” said Luke.

A South Gwinnett and Valdosta State grad, Dean played on the Blazers’ 2007 national championship. As a coach, he has also been offensive coordinator at East Coweta and had stops at South Gwinnett, Hillgrove and collegiately at Northwestern State. Berrien will be his first head coaching position.

Berrien is coming off a 1-9 campaign, but are only three years off their best season in more than 30 years. BHS won its second ever state playoff game in 2022. The previous win had been in 1991, when the squad reached the state quarterfinals.

Dean succeeds Ken Eldridge in the role of head coach. Eldridge went 3-16 over two seasons.

Playing an extremely ambitious schedule, Cook was a 3-8 team in 2024, but made the state playoffs. Five of their opponents were ranked in the top eight of their classifications. The Hornets averaged 22 points per game.

Berrien’s schedule will be the same as in 2024, Luke said. That means Dean’s first regular season game will be at Cook. Not only is that Dean’s former school, but Berrien’s arch-rival. Non-region games are scheduled at Clinch County and at home against Lanier County and Telfair County. The Rebels belong to Region 1-A Division 1.