Georgia high school football legend T. McFerrin passes away at 83

ATLANTA - T. McFerrin, one of the most accomplished and respected figures in Georgia high school football history, has died at age 83 after a lengthy illness, school and state officials confirmed on Tuesday.

What we know:

McFerrin, who won 341 games and two state championships during a 38-year coaching career, is remembered not just for his remarkable record but for the countless lives he influenced. He led seven different schools to region titles and remains the only coach in Georgia history to guide four different teams to the state finals.

Born and raised in Murfreesboro, Tenn., McFerrin was a standout defensive back at Murfreesboro High and later played college football at Millsaps College before transferring to Middle Tennessee, where he lettered in tennis and earned a degree in history. He began his coaching career in 1965 as an assistant at Druid Hills High School in Georgia and earned his first head coaching role at Lithonia High in 1968.

That first season set the tone for his career: Lithonia improved from 1–9 to 8–1–1. Over the next four decades, McFerrin built a legacy as a turnaround specialist, taking struggling programs and transforming them into title contenders. He led Peachtree, Tucker, Elbert County, South Gwinnett, and Jefferson to regional or state success.

In 1995, he delivered Elbert County its first-ever state title. Nearly two decades later, in his final season, he led Jefferson to a 14–1 record and the 2012 Class AA championship—another first for the program.

He coached at nine high schools, including a short stint in Tennessee, winning region championships at eight of them. His coaching record: 341 wins, 101 losses, and four ties. He was inducted into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame several years later.

McFerrin also left his mark off the football field—coaching tennis, wrestling, volleyball, and assisting in basketball and baseball throughout his career. His legacy continues through his family: son Tom McFerrin is principal at Dunwoody High, and son Rob McFerrin is athletics director at Winder-Barrow.

What they're saying:

"Coach McFerrin was a legend, both throughout Georgia and in the field of high school athletics," Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement. "His impact will not only live on through his incredible record, but even more so through the generations of athletes who stepped off of his field as better men because of his influence. Marty, the girls, and I are praying for his loved ones during this time of mourning."

Jefferson High School, where McFerrin ended his career with a state title in 2012, released a statement Tuesday:

"Georgia’s greatest high school football coach was about far more than just winning games. The life lessons he taught will live on through the thousands of people who had the privilege of knowing and learning from him. Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with the McFerrin family."

"He was about far more than football," Jefferson High’s statement read. "Thousands of lives changed."

What's next:

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.