COACHING CAROUSEL: Abrams taking over at Bowdon
Bowdon High School announced today that former Cedartown Head Coach and Bowdon Defensive Coordinator Jamie Abrams is taking over the Red Devils program as Rich Fendley is reportedly departing. Don’t miss · Cedartown Bulldogs RIVALS CLASH: Jackets trounce Dawgs in latest Battle of Polk County Read more → The news about Abrams’ hire as the […]
Bowdon High School announced today that former Cedartown Head Coach and Bowdon Defensive Coordinator Jamie Abrams is taking over the Red Devils program as Rich Fendley is reportedly departing.
The news about Abrams’ hire as the new Red Devils coach comes amid an opening for the top job as the Rockmart Yellow Jackets head coach.
Claims that Fendley is heading to Rockmart have yet to be independently verified, but his departure from Bowdon is definitely confirmed with the hiring announcement made by Bowdon this afternoon with Abrams’ promotion as the new head football coach.
Abrams was dismissed as head coach for the Cedartown Bulldogs in January last year under controversial circumstances, and ultimately he departed to take a role heading the defensive coaching staff at Bowdon. The squad won their fourth state title in 2025 over Lincoln County in a 35-31 finish at The Benz.
It was Abrams’ second trip to the top game, having taken the Bulldogs to a state title berth in 2022. He went 50-12 during his tenure with the Bulldogs, and prior to that put up two successful winning seasons at Lamar County with playoff berths in 2014 and 2015.
The new Bowdon Head Coach does have big shoes to fill. Fendley spent 8 seasons turning Bowdon from a team with a losing record into a four-time state title winner, and a five time region champion from 2020 through 2025.
No announcement had yet been made by Rockmart about whether Fendley is for sure the next head coach, and isn’t expected as the official news until after a February 3 Polk Board of Education work session where personnel decisions will be considered.
Rockmart’s head coach job came open after Head Coach Biff Parson took a job at Hart County earlier this month after 10 successful seasons with the Jackets including playoff berths every year and two trips to a state title game.