Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, Georgia, has found its new leader on the gridiron, turning to a familiar face to guide the Knights' football program. The school announced this week the hiring of alum Logan Winkles as its next head football coach.

Winkles, who has built his coaching resume at several Georgia programs including Pike County, Spalding, Warner Robins, and Harris County, is coming home. Principal Ricky English highlighted the significance of the hire, stating, "Coach Winkles brings a passion for Upson-Lee and a proven track record of success both on and off the field. We are excited to welcome him back to lead our football program and continue building on the tradition of Knight pride."

He inherits a Knights squad that showed flashes of potential last season, starting a perfect 3-0 before finishing with a 5-5 record. Despite playing a tough schedule in Georgia's AAA classification, they narrowly missed the GHSA playoffs. The foundation for a turnaround is there, especially with a promising backfield duo returning. Rising sophomores Jy Garmon and Chestin Howard, who combined for over 1,000 rushing yards and seven touchdowns last fall, will be key pieces for the new regime.

For a program steeped in community pride, hiring a former Knight signals a commitment to rebuilding from within. As Coach Winkles takes the reins, the focus in Thomaston will be on translating that early-season momentum into a full campaign of success and returning Upson-Lee football to postseason contention.