Dobson hired as head football coach at Statesboro High School

Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Another hometown boy is doing well in the greater world. Monticello native and former Aucilla Christian Academy (ACA) student Matt Dobson recently was hired as head coach of the Statesboro High (SHS) football team in north-central Georgia.
Dobson, a standout football player at both North Florida Christian (NFC) and Georgia Southern University (GSU), replaced former coach Jeff Kaiser, who retired after six seasons of leading the Statesboro Blue Devils.
“I have great respect for the history of this program,” Dobson said on accepting the head coach position, referring to the school’s rich football history and its several state championships. “And I am eager to work with the athletes and dedicated staff to continue building upon its legacy of success.”
Dobson comes to Statesboro by way of North Forsyth High School in Cumming, Ga., where he began as a quarterback coach in 2018, before transitioning into the role of offensive coordinator for the past three seasons.
Prior to North Forsyth, he was special teams coordinator and defensive backs/wide receivers’ coach for the Cook County High School Hornets in Adel, as well as serving as the coach for the track team there.
Dobson, in fact, is well known around the Statesboro area, where he distinguished himself as an outstanding player for the GSU Eagles’ football program from 2012 through 2016. During this time, the 6’1” four-year I football letterman was a two-time All-conference Sun Belt player, first-team academic All-American, team captain and semi-finalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy. As well as helping the Eagles win their first bowl game in 2015.
Dobson joined the GSU Eagles in 2012 as a quarterback pick in his freshman year and transitioned to a safety in his sophomore year, starting in this latter position every game thereafter.
The reason for the transition to safety was that GSU had an overabundance of qualified quarterback candidates, and Dobson, having at one time played safety for NFC, was seen as a natural choice for safety, a position that he willingly embrace for the greater good of the team, and in which position he gained distinction, being named the Sun Belt All-Conference team in his junior and senior seasons in 2014 and 2015.
Dobson came to GSU from NFC in Tallahassee, where he was a four-year starter, playing two years at safety and two at quarterback. As quarterback, he led NFC to two state titles and a 38-8 record during his career. He finished his time at NFC with 4,297 yards passing and 42
with 4,297 yards passing and 42 touchdowns on 304 completions in 526 attempts. He also had a top-10 GPA in all four years of varsity football and was named to the National Honor Society, among other honors.
Prior to NFC, Dobson briefly attended Aucilla Christian Academy (ACA), where his athletic prowess was evident even then.
ACA Principal Richard Finlayson well remembers Dobson, brief as the latter’s stay was at Aucilla.
“He was with us from sixth to eight grade,” Finlayson recalls. “He didn’t graduate with us; he graduated from North Florida Christian. But as a seven grader with us, he was second team All State in our classification as quarterback. That was his biggest accomplishment while he was here. And absolutely, he already showed promise. Because that’s a big accomplishment, for a senior to make All State; so for a seventh grader to do it, it’s pretty much unheard of.”
Statesboro High held a press conference to officially welcome Dobson to the Blue Devil family on Friday, Feb. 10, in the lobby of the Chester McBride Field House at Womack Field on the campus. At which event Statesboro High School Principal Keith Wright and Athletic Director David Jackson noted that Dobson had been selected out of a field of 26 applicants.
“We wanted to make sure we hired someone who could build sound relationships and teach our student-athletes lessons beyond just Statesboro High School,” Jackson is quoted saying.
Dobson, whose four core beliefs are reported to be “best, effort, love and toughness,” told the assembly that he was honored to accept the head football coaching position and was excited at the prospective of working with the team and staff to achieve new heights for the storied program.
He and his wife, Ansley, and their two children – Ryder (3) and Eason (9 months) – were looking forward to make Bulloch County their new home, Dobson said.
Dobson obtained a bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in coaching from GSU. He also earned a Master of Arts in teaching (MAT) from Valdosta State University and a specialist’s degree in advanced educational studies from Augusta University.
He is the son of Terry and Ronda Dobson of Monticello and the grandson of Ron and Martha Smoak of Madison and the late George and Loa Lee Dobson of Greenville. His two sisters are Stephanie Bean and Chelsea Jenkins.