Dunwoody head football coach Michael Nash stepping down after 10 years at the helm

After 10 years as the head coach at Dunwoody High School, Coach Michael Nash is stepping down. Nash also serves as the athletic director for the Wildcats and has coached across multiple sports at the school.

The last three years have been the best of Nash’s tenure. In that span, the Wildcats have gone 19-15, outscoring their opponents in all three seasons, something the program had not accomplished since 2011. Additionally, they made the playoffs in both 2023 and 2024, marking their first postseason appearances since 2009.

More than anything, Coach Nash brought stability to the program. From 2008 to 2015, the Wildcats cycled through four different head coaches. While it took nearly a decade for Nash to get the program back on track, he provided much-needed structure. His leadership allowed players to know what to expect from season to season, creating consistency and growth over the past few years.

Dunwoody is a storied program that was one of the top teams in the state during the 1990s. From 1991 to 1998, the Wildcats made the playoffs six times, winning 11 postseason games, including the 1993 4A state championship. They experienced another strong era from 2006 to 2009, making three playoff appearances, including a quarterfinal run in 2008.

The Wildcats’ 2024 record of 4-7 is misleading. Dunwoody suffered only two regular-season losses by more than 14 points, one in Week 2 against Pope and another to perennial powerhouse Woodward Academy. Two of their losses, to Tri-Cities and Lakeside-Atlanta, were decided by a combined four points. The Wildcats finished the season strong, winning three of their final four games. The offense came to life during that stretch, scoring at least 35 points in each of those contests, three of the only four times they reached that mark all season.

Dunwoody’s next head coach will inherit a program with a proud tradition. The Wildcats compete in a manageable region, with Woodward Academy as the only traditional powerhouse. The search for a new coach will begin immediately, and the position is expected to attract a strong pool of applicants.