MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Jesse Hicks will return to Milledgeville next year once again as head football coach.

The Baldwin County Board of Education approved Hicks’ hiring Tuesday night.

Hicks departed Baldwin after the 2009 season to go to Dougherty County for two years before moving on to Central High School in Macon. Central posted back-to-back 6-4 records the past two years under Hicks.

Baldwin High and its supporters are hoping he can bring back some of the magic from his initial tenure, as the Braves were 70-24 in his eight years of leadership that included a trip to the state semifinals back in 2005.

“I would like to take this opportunity to announce that we do have a new football coach,” said Baldwin County School Superintendent Dr. Noris Price at the meeting. “Mr. Jesse Hicks is returning back home to finish what he started. … I’ve already charged him with a winning season.”

The new football coach then addressed those in attendance and thanked all those involved in bringing him back to BHS.

“I would like to say thank you to my Lord and savior for giving me the opportunity to come back,” Hicks said. “It’s always good to go to the place where you’ve been and be welcomed with open arms and be able to come back. I want to thank Dr. Price, [BHS Principal] Dr. [Cloise] Williams, the board, [Athletic Director] Dr. [Henry] Hankerson, and everybody that’s been involved in this process in getting me to journey back here to Milledgeville, Ga. I miss Milledgeville. I really do. We’ve done some great things in the past, and the future still looks bright especially with the young men that I’ve seen today. All I ask is that we have a family atmosphere, and the acronym F.A.M.I.L.Y. for our football team will be Forget About Me, I Love You and that’s the kind of thing we have to do. We have to love each other. It’s worked before, and I have no doubt it’ll work again. All I’m asking you to do is just get behind the young people, support us, and I think it’s going to go in the right direction. So again I thank the board, my former principal [school board member] Mr. [Lyn] Chandler, and everybody that was involved in this process. My family and I look forward to moving back here and I’m always available. My door’s always open because it’s about the young people, it’s not about me.”

Hicks takes over for Lee Hannah who went 15-18 in his three seasons at Baldwin that included two trips to the playoffs.

Price said that Hicks’ first day back at BHS will be March 1.