J.Z. George athletic director Nathan Moncrief has been a busy man this summer trying to find coaches to fill out his coaching staff for the upcoming school year.
Moncrief, who also serves as an assistant principal at the North Carrollton school, hired two new head coaches to oversee football and baseball. He brought in Rusty Smith and Michael Hargett from Charleston High School to replace Ben Burton and Tristan Ellingburg in those two sports, respectively.
Burton served as the head football coach for six years, and Ellingburg was in his first year when the season was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. They only played one game, which was a 12-0 loss to Hargett's Charleston team.
Smith was on staff at Charleston for 10 years, serving in many different roles. From 2015-2019, he was the special teams coach, the head JV coach and the strength coach. He also coached defensive ends and tight ends from 2013-2016 and 2018-2019. He coached linebackers and running backs in the 2017 season, and defensive tackles from 2011-2012.
Smith is a 2004 graduate of Charleston. He then attended Northwest Mississippi Community College, and later received his degree in education from Delta State University. He's currently working on his Master's degree in education leadership from Arkansas State University.
Hargett also spent 10 years at Charleston as head baseball coach and as assistant in football. Charleston made the playoffs in baseball in eight of Hargett's 10 years. He played at Northwest Community College and was part of two teams that won back-to-back NJCAA state titles.
LeQuell Allen is returning for his second year as the head girls and boys basketball coach. He will also be the head track coach.
Allen will be assisted by Yvonna Macon in girls varsity, and she will serve as the junior high girls coach. Moncrief is still looking for a junior high boys coach, who will also work with football and assist with track.
Doyle Ellett remains on staff as an assistant in football. He is in his second stint as an assistant at the school. He coaches defense for the Jaguars.
Jamie Tucker will continue to serve as the head coach for girls fast-pitch softball. She will also be the cross-country coach in the fall. Kaela Taylor will be Tucker's assistant in softball.
