JEFFERSON -- T McFerrin had to be talked into coming back for the 2012 football season.
Is he ever glad he was.
After almost stepping down following the 2011 campaign, McFerrin returned to lead the Dragons for one more season and made history, presiding over Jefferson football's first state title.
"I couldn't have had a better retirement gift," McFerrin said. "The superintendent (Dr. John Jackson) and the principal (Dr. Kevin Smith) asked me to come back for this season, and I sure am happy I did. I'm so proud of these guys and so proud for Jefferson. These guys went down in the history books."
McFerrin's Dragons defeated Calhoun 31-14 on Dec. 15 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to finish with a 14-1 record and claim the 2012 Class AA crown -- the coach's second state title after also winning the 1995 Class AA championship with Elbert County.
"The win in '95 was special, but we were a preseason No. 1 that year. This year we weren't under the radar, we weren't even on the radar," McFerrin said of a Dragons team that opened the season unranked and lost its first game of the campaign, 22-7 to Commerce before ripping off 14 straight victories. "I don't know if it was destiny, but these guys just kept playing better every week and finding ways to win."
McFerrin, 70, came out of retirement to take over the Dragons in 2009 and ends his career with a mark of 340-102-4, including nine different head coaching stints. In four seasons, McFerrin led the Dragons to a record of 39-9, as well as two Region 8-AA titles and three state playoff appearances.
"I knew before the season this would be my last year," said McFerrin, who also led Lithonia (1969) and Peachtree (1982) to state runner-up finishes during his career. "I've been doing this since 1965, and I'll be 71 in a month. I just feel like it's time."
Regardless, McFerrin said that did not make the announcement of his decision -- on Thursday morning to his team -- any easier.
"It was still hard," McFerrin said. "These guys have been great, and I'm so glad I had this opportunity."
Jefferson will begin the active search for a new head coach immediately, and McFerrin believes there may be able replacements already within the program.
"That choice is up to the superintendent," McFerrin said. "But we have some good coaches on this staff."
Friday
February 7th, 2025
2:14PM
