THOMASVILLE — A former Thomas County Central football coach is back with the Yellow Jackets this season coordinating the ninth grade offense.

Bill Shaver, who coached with Central first-year coach Justin Rogers last year at Colquitt County, returns to Thomas County to coach the Yellow Jackets freshmen offense. He is excited to return to the place he called home for so many years.

“It’s nice being back wearing the Blue and Gold and trying to get that old tradition back,” said Shaver, who was the team’s head coach for 10 seasons from 2008-17. “A lot of (Rogers’) offensive staff came with him from Moultrie, which are the ones I worked hand-in-hand most with.”

Shaver was also an assistant with legendary head coach Ed Pilcher when the Yellow Jackets won multiple state championships in the 1990s. The two used the split-back veer offense. He’s had to adapt to Rogers’ offense, though, which uses more run-pass option concepts. 

“It’s something I had to learn last year, a lot of different things,” Shaver said. “It was nice to learn some new ideas. He lets me put my little wrinkle to it when we do the ninth grade.

“The quarterback is still reading it, it’s just a different kind of read. Either hand the ball off or throw it, instead of hand the ball off or run it.”