Josey promotes assistant

John Noah would feel confident during halftime of Josey football games last season, then watch that feeling evaporate as Eagles' players crumbled with fatigue.

He said the Eagles were competitive with everyone in Region 3-AAAA for the first half, but couldn't withstand second-half demands brought on by teams in better shape and with better depth.

Off-season conditioning is the first thing Noah said he wants to improve as the new football coach at Josey. Noah, an assistant at the school since 2004, will be introduced as the school's new head coach at 10 a.m. Thursday, principal Ronald Wiggins said.

Noah is the school's physical education department chair and a former head coach at Hancock Central. He replaces Barney Cha-vous, a former Denver Broncos standout and Aiken County native who went 15-55 in seven seasons at the school.

Noah has been an assistant coach under Chavous since 2004 and was the team's offensive coordinator this past season.

"Basically, it was a situation where they were trying to hire someone who was familiar with Josey," said Noah, who was 12-38 from 1998 to 2002 at Hancock. "I fill like I fit that bill."

Josey, which has struggled with player participation issues, went 2-8 last season.

It is one of the two smallest schools in Region 3-AAAA along with Westside. It is the last Richmond County team to win a Georgia High School Association football title (1995) but hasn't made the playoffs since going 10-2 in 1999.

Asked when he planned to start improving the Eagles' offseason workouts, Noah said: "We've already started. We've made progress, and we're going to make some more."

He said some team members have been working four days a week in the weight room since the end of wrestling season.

Noah said he plans to keep most of Chavous' staff in place.

"If we have any changes, it won't be but one or two (coaches)," he said. "That was one of the things Dr. Wiggins wanted to do."

Josey will hold its spring practice May 4-14, Noah said.

The hiring of Noah leaves Richmond County with one coaching vacancy: Butler, which has lost its past 31 games.

Reach Matt Middleton at (706) 823-3425 or matt.middleton@augustachronicle.com.