THOMASVILLE — Faced with a head football coaching vacancy, Thomasville High School quickly named an interim — and wasted little time in making that choice permanent.

Jonathan DeLay, named the interim when Zach Grage left to become Lowndes’ next coach, was promoted from the interim slot Wednesday morning. DeLay served as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator under Grage, including last season’s Class AA state runner-up finish.

“This is something special to me,” DeLay said of being named head coach. “I’m super excited to be here. This is the best job in the state. I’ve been here five years and I’ve understood that.”

DeLay said he has talked with previous Thomasville High coaches — his father-in-law is former Bulldog coach Tommy Welch — and it reaffirms the regard in which he holds the program.

“Just hearing their stories and hearing from their past, I know this is the best job in the state,” he said. “I’m just humbled to continue to have that tradition.”

The district received 21 applications and interviewed three candidates. 

“We are excited to have Coach DeLay and has family lead this program into the future,” said THS athletic director Jeremy Rayburn. 

DeLay is a Ringgold native and attended Lafayette High School before going to the University of Georgia. He was a student assistant under Coach Mark Richt from 2006-09. 

DeLay earned a BS in social science education in 2010 and began his high school coaching career at Franklin County High School in Carnesville. He was defensive backs coach there for three seasons before taking the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator position.

DeLay joined the staff at Thomas County Central in 2016, and became quarterbacks coach at Thomasville in 2017. 

Under his tutelage at THS, the Bulldogs have had three all-state quarterback selections.

DeLay, with his wife and two young daughters by his side at Wednesday’s announcement, also thanked Jesus Christ for his new position and said he wants to put a spiritual face on the program.

“There are two things about me that are going to happen with this program — and that’s to have a goal and to have a purpose,” he said. “Our goal here is to win football games. That’s not purpose with these young men and this community. My purpose is to change their lives and to make sure they go on to be productive citizens.”

He’ll continue to coach quarterbacks at THS, along with his head coaching duties. Grage also coached the running backs while he was head coach.

DeLay also was surprised at his parents, who drove six hours to be on hand for the announcement. 

THS Principal Brian Beaty said some of the primary reasons the committee chose DeLay were his energy, his love for the players and his character.

“We already had a really great program here set in place,” Beaty said. “Coach DeLay is a huge part of the reason we have such a great program. We knew that hiring him would continue moving forward in doing what we’re doing.”

DeLay said the program will be built upon four pillars — body language, energy, physicality and tempo.

“But a pillar can’t stand up if there is no foundation,” he said, “and Thomasville football is going to be built on love. Love is a sacrifice. It’s not about them as an individual, it’s about that diamond T.

“You’re going to see kids who love each other, who love this city,” DeLay continued. “They are going to move at a great urgency with a great tempo. Those traits you can take into the classroom. The urgency to do things right on time the first time. Thomasville kids are physical. That’s something I’ve learned the last five years. At Thomasville, that’s what they do. But we’re going to sacrifice for each other. I told the kids this morning, if you want to lead, you have to serve.” 

DeLay also expressed gratitude for his family allowing him to do what he loves and for the search committee giving him his first head coaching chance.

“I’m just so thankful to those guys for giving me this opportunity,” he said. “Hopefully, I can make them proud. But the biggest thing is it’s about these kids and making this city proud and making sure the diamond T tradition carries on.”