By Owen Whitsett
One year after taking over the Coffee County football program, head coach Brandon Harmon believes the Red Raiders are in a much different place than they were when he first arrived.
In an exclusive preseason interview with Thunder Radio, Harmon reflected on his first season in Manchester, discussed the culture his team has built, the physical transformation of the program, and why he believes the future is bright despite last year’s 2-8 finish.
Looking back, Harmon said the biggest takeaway from his first year wasn’t wins or losses, but the people. He praised the Coffee County community for welcoming his family and staff while giving special credit to last year’s senior class for helping establish the foundation of the program during a season filled with change.
“I can’t say enough about last year’s seniors,” Harmon said. “They led a lot better than probably anticipated and kind of set that foundation as far as the changes that we were in the process of making.”
Harmon also pointed to the team’s resilience throughout the season. While several close games slipped away late, he believes a lack of depth—not effort—proved to be one of the biggest challenges. More importantly, he said the locker room never splintered despite the difficult season.
“We never had any of that,” Harmon said when discussing division within the team. “The kids never wavered.”
That experience, Harmon believes, will pay dividends in 2026. Coffee County started six and sometimes seven sophomores a season ago, while several juniors were first-year starters. After battling programs such as Brentwood, Independence, Summit and Franklin, Harmon said those returning players now understand what it takes to compete every Friday night.
“They get it now,” Harmon said. “They know what it’s like to play this schedule. They know how we operate. They know what’s expected.”
One of the biggest offseason storylines has been the team’s transformation in the weight room. Harmon said Raider fans who haven’t seen the team since last fall will immediately notice a more physical football team, pointing to significant gains in both size and strength throughout the roster.
“The size difference,” Harmon said when asked what fans would notice first.
He later described the weight room as “the lifeline of the program,” explaining that every workout is designed to develop stronger, faster and more explosive athletes rather than simply adding weight.
“We want to be as strong as possible, but we want to move the bar as fast as possible,” Harmon said.
The offseason hasn’t only brought changes in the weight room. Harmon also welcomed three new assistant coaches to the program in Jermaine Johnson, Riley Darden and Kyle Anderton, while announcing that Anderton will serve as offensive coordinator this season as Harmon returns to calling the defense.
Harmon believes attracting experienced coaches to Coffee County is another sign the program is moving in the right direction.
“That tells me we positively won Year One,” Harmon said. “Maybe not in the win-loss record, but in what we’re trying to build.”
The full interview also includes discussion on the Raiders’ returning playmakers, position battles, the 2026 schedule, Coffee Pot rivalry, expectations for the upcoming season and much more.
The complete Coach Brandon Harmon Football Preview Interview will be available soon on Thunder Radio 107.9 FM and will also be available across Thunder Radio platforms.
