Bowdon High School Head Football Coach Rich Fendley has announced he’s leaving the program for another head coaching opportunity with a larger school next season, but the Red Devils won’t have to look far for a new coach to replace the four-time state champion.
Bowdon Defensive Coordinator Jamie Abrams – who joined the team last season after five winning seasons as head coach at Cedartown High School – will be taking the reins of the perennial powerhouse.
Fendley leaves the Red Devils on top of the mountain. In eight seasons, he took the team from a 1-9 record in 2018 to a place only three other high schools in Georgia have been – four consecutive state football titles.
“When you reflect on what Coach Fendley has done in Bowdon, I go back to his job interview. I don’t believe I have ever heard a coach articulate his vision for a team and his plan to get there so well – and then he executed that vision completely,” Carroll County School System Superintendent Scott Cowart said. “There are not many coaches or leaders of any kind who are able to do that.”
Fendley united his team, the school, and the community with an infectious energy, relentless drive and a work ethic that makes football a year-round pursuit in Bowdon. From weight room challenges (and six state weight lifting titles) each January to state finals in Atlanta in December, Fendley kept pushing his Red Devils with consistency and personal connections that built community.
“My family has been blessed to be part of one of the best football communities in the state,” Fendley said. “Even with all the success of this team and these players, I think my family has benefited more than the team has by our time in Bowdon.”
Fendley’s successor brings an impressive 65-19-1 head coaching record of his own, with three region titles and a 2022 state championship game appearance at Class AAAA Cedartown.
“We were fortunate to be able to hire one of the top defensive minds in the state last year in Jamie Abrams. His leadership on the defensive side of the ball was one of the keys to another state championship.” Bowdon High School Principal Jeff Bryant said. “Coach Abrams is a proven leader, and we are excited to see how the Red Devils will continue to excel under his leadership.”
Fendley has built a legacy at Bowdon, rejuvenating a blueblood single A program and making a name for himself that will resonate for years to come. The Bowdon Red Devils now have six state titles and 21 region titles in the trophy case, and the community continues to celebrate and expect more titles to come.
“I want to thank Mr. Cowart and [former BHS Principal] Zoe Evans for giving me a chance eight years ago, and Mr. Bryant who has continued to support us through the last four seasons,” Fendley said. “Anything that I have asked for the county, and the school, and the community have done. I can’t thank them enough for the support and the love that they have shown me and my family.”
Bowdon High School plans an event next week to formally introduce Coach Abrams to the Bowdon community and will be releasing details soon.
New Bowdon Head Coach Jamie Abrams