Veteran coach Allen Cartwright has been named the new head football coach at Bryan County High School, it was announced Thursday.

Cartwright will replace the popular Mark Wilson, who is taking the head coaching job at Taylor County in order to be closer to family. Wilson led the Redskins to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2013 and 2014.

Cartwright said he’s eager to build on Bryan County’s recent gridiron success.

“I am happy and very excited to be the Bryan County Football Coach. I look forward to building on the success that the program has experienced in recent years,”  There is no other place I would rather be coaching next fall.”

Cartwright’s appointment was approved by the school board during a called meeting Thursday at Richmond Hill Primary School. He has 21 years of experience as a health and PE teacher and as a coach.

Cartwright, who has a career record of 127-137 in 10 seasons, was last a head coach in 2011, and most recently was offensive coordinator and strength coach at Metter, where last the Tigers made the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

He’s held two head coaching jobs – at Claxton from 2006 to 2011, and, prior to that, at Windsor Forest, where he was coach from 2001-2004, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association.

Cartwright’s 2004 team went 7-4 and made the state Class AAAAA playoffs. It was apparently the first time the Knights had advanced to the state playoffs since 1976.

Like Wilson, Cartwright is considered a rebuilder of programs.

Crystal Morales, who will take over the principal’s duties next fall at BCHS, is excited about the hiring, according to a press release issued by the BoE.

“Coach Cartwright is respected by his peers and has a history of success,” Morales said. “Our players, parents and assistant coaches look forward to working with him.”