Berkmar lands Langston Hughes offensive coordinator Andrico Hines as head football coach

“The committee charged with selecting the next head football coach at Berkmar High School was impressed with Andrico’s winning pedigree and his passion for developing student-athletes of great character,” Berkmar athletic director Kenton Johnson said. “His knowledge of the game and vibrant personality bolstered the committee’s belief in his clearly articulated plan for transforming the football program. I personally was most impressed with his commitment to utilizing football participation as a tool to change the lives of struggling students. He is principled and believes in holding himself and his program’s students accountable for their decisions. My principal and I believe the Berkmar High School football program is in great hands and our future will be bright.”

Hines didn’t actively pursue the Berkmar head coaching position — he was content at Hughes and had another season ahead with Hughes quarterback Air Noland, one of the state’s top juniors. But he received a call from Berkmar because he was a reference for another coach, and that led to school officials asking him if he would be interested in the position.

“I think it was an act of God how it happened,” Hines said. “I received a call from them, but I didn’t really put in for the job traditionally. Somebody put me down as a reference, so it kind of happened like that. We got to talking, and they asked if I ever thought of being a head coach. … I wasn’t looking to leave. We have Air Noland, one of the top offenses in the state of Georgia. There was no reason to leave, but the opportunity presented itself and I don’t have anything left to accomplish as an OC. I was ready for the next challenge.”

Hines is a former all-state quarterback and four-year starter at Riverdale, where he helped his team reach the state semifinals. He played quarterback at Southwest Mississippi Community College and Middle Tennessee State University, then played pro football from 2005 to 2013 in the Arena Football League, af2 and the American Indoor Football League.

He got his start in coaching as wide receivers and defensive backs coach at Ware County in 2011, returned to playing indoor football and joined the Creekside coaching staff as co-offensive coordinator in 2013, helping the team to a state title. After three seasons at Creekside, he coached two years at Greene County, three years at Riverwood, one year at Alexander and this past season at Hughes, where his offensive put up huge numbers.

“I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to do that again. It was magical,” Hines said of the 2022 offensive production.

Hines has started work on rebuilding a Berkmar football program that has struggled to find success in its history. The Patriots and new head coach Cole Meyer parted ways at the beginning of the 2022 season, and interim head coach Michael Madden led the team to back-to-back, early-season victories to snap a 13-game losing streak.

Berkmar has posted only 10 winning seasons since the school opened in the 1960s — five of those winning seasons were in the 1970s. The football program was mired in a 47-game losing streak that former head coach Willie Gary ended with 3-7 and 4-6 seasons in 2018 and 2019.

Hines said former Georgia Tech and NFL defensive back Willie Clay will be his defensive coordinator, and Clay’s son Chad, who played at Peachtree Ridge, Georgia and Marshall, will be defensive backs coach.

“I just think culture change (is key to turning around Berkmar) and with culture change, you’ve got to change some people,” Hines said. “I think setting a standard is important. There has been a lot of change the last couple of years with them and coaches, so it’s kind of hard for them to trust somebody right now … Just having some structure and setting a standard will go a long way to set the foundation. I think the foundation there has been rocked for so many years.”