TIFTON, Ga. — There will be a few different faces on the Tift County High football sidelines this year, according to head coach Ashley Anders.

A year removed from their quarterfinals appearance and 11-2 record, Anders has made some changes.

One spot opened after the retirement of assistant Gregg Segraves. In other changes on varsity, Brian Brown will coach cornerbacks and Russell Coker will be in charge of running backs. Both are staff veterans, Coker having previously served as head coach of the ninth grade team.

Tift’s ninth grade team will have several differences.

Taking over Coker’s role of ninth grade head coach is Mark Ledford, whose name should be familiar to area football fans.

Ledford brings quite a bit of experience to Tift County. He stepped down last fall after 17 seasons as head coach at Wilcox County.

“He wanted to stay in this area,” said Anders.

Ledford won the Class A state title with the Patriots in 2009, took second place in 2007 and made the semifinals in 2012. The quarterback from the 2009 team, Nick Marshall, was heavily recruited and started at the position at Auburn University. During his 17 years at Wilcox, Ledford went 111-83-1.

Will Flowers will be coaching linebackers and running backs on the ninth grade squad. Flowers, who was at Colquitt County last year, is the son of current Tift County High assistant Tommy Flowers. Before becoming a coach, Will played collegiately at Kennesaw State.

Hunter McAllister, who coached for the ninth grade team, will be taking over as head coach of the sixth grade squad. Anders said Will Koran, who had been part of the sixth grade staff, was moving to another one of Tift County’s teams.