Bulloch Academy head coach Terence Hennessy was relieved of his duties as Bulloch Academy head coach Monday and has been replaced by Athletic Director and former Southeast Bulloch head coach Pat Collins.
    “Since arriving at BA, Coach Collins has assessed each of our athletic programs and worked with all our coaches to identify areas of improvement for each sports,”  Bulloch Academy Head of School Leisa Houghton stated in a press release,  “His experience and depth coaching football will no doubt be an asset to our program.”
    In his four seasons at Bulloch Academy Hennessy was 26-18 and helped lead the Gators to four straight state playoff appearances.
    “Coach Hennessy will continue at BA as a teacher and tennis coach,”  said Houghton,  “We appreciate his work with the team over the last four years.”
    Collins will take over the reigns and has 17 years experience as a head coach with a record of 82-94-1.  Most recently Collins was head coach at Southeast Bulloch where he helped turn around a team that had struggled for four straight years, and led them to three state playoff appearances.
    “I am humbled that the school administration specifically Mrs. Houghton has the confidence in me to lead a group of young men,”  said Collins, “That’s a task no coach takes lightly, I love every aspect of coaching and look forward to a new challenge.”
    Collins is familiar with the Gator football team as he helped coach this year’s group, and while he has yet to announce his coaching staff, he did say he plans on using a 4-3 defensive scheme, and the same Wing-T offense he has used throughout his career.
    “Our base will be the Wing-T but we will tailor our offense around what our players can do best,”  said Collins,  “We have had many 1,000 yard rushers in my offense, but they have come in many forms, from halfbacks to fullbacks.  I have also had a couple of quarterbacks throw for close to, or over 1,000 yards.  I know what we have coming back and see several pieces that I feel will make for a very successful offense.”
    Collins also commented on the rumors that changes at Bulloch Academy could fit in line with a plan to move the school from GISA to GHSA competition in the near future.
    "The discussion of moving from GISA to GHSA was brought to our board I believe two years ago, and was voted down,”  said Collins,  “I feel it is something that will continue to be brought up as we grow.  Our school is almost at capacity and our aspirations are to grow the school.  I do believe that as trips become longer in GISA because of the numbers I believe there are some advantages for that move.”
    Collins went on to say he feels many sports currently at Bulloch Academy would be competitive on the GHSA level, and then spoke specifically to how he felt the football team would fare.
    “I think that if the vision is to move to GHSA you have to grow the program to that end,”  said Collins,  “There are some players right now that play on our team that could play on any team anywhere, but there are some areas we would struggle in.  With that said if that is the vision and direction we are going I think that anything becomes a possibility.”
    The Gators schedule for the 2018 season has not been finalized but Collins announced that Bulloch Academy will host Portal in a scrimmage August 10.