The start of the high school football season is 78 days away, but the coaching carousel has not stopped spinning.

Dwight Hudler recently stepped down as the head coach at South Beauregard High School to take a newly created assistant principal job at the same school.

Hudler said administration had always been his goal but not this soon and that he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

“It was something that I always wanted to transition to,” Hudler said. “I have had my admin for five years and it was my ultimate plan.

“With them opening the extra spot, it allows me to stay home with my kids. I applied for it and got it Friday.”

Fourteen Southwest Louisiana schools will have new head coaches when the season kicks off.

Hudler, a former all-American offensive lineman for McNeese State (1999-2003) had been the Golden Knights head coach since 2012, going 52-64 with regional-round playoff appearances in 2014, ’16 and ’20.

“Friday nights are great,” Hudler said. “That is something that can’t be replicated.

“That is one of the major draws to it. It is the growth you see in the students. Seeing some of the kids come in as scrawny immature freshmen and you watch them transition into young men … It is definitely bittersweet.

“I have a 6-year-old that all she has known is daddy coaches football. It is hard to walk away. I was going through my office, I have a lot of stuff and a lot of memories.”

Hudler said he will continue to work with the team until a new head coach is hired.

“I am sure (the administration is) going to be working on it quickly, so the guys will have someone when the season starts,” Hudler said.

Barbe

In: Skeet Owens

Out: Mike Cutrera

DeQuincy

In: Tate Woodard

Out: Matt Dufresne

Hamilton Christian

In: Dexter Washington

Out: Ragan McDaniel

Jennings

In: Bret Fuselier

Out: Rusty Phelps

Kinder

In: Justin Reed

Out: Bret Fuselier

LaGrange

In: Idaibi Ogbanga

Out: Marrico Wilson

Oberlin

In: Curt Ware

Out: Durell Peloquin

Pickering

In: John Daugherty

Out: Jared Underwood

Rosepine

In: Troy Gardner

Out: Brad Ducote

South Beauregard

In: TBA

Out: Dwight Hudler

Sulphur

In: Cody Gueringer

Out: Chris Towery

Vinton

In: Tyler Lavergne

Out: Lark Hebert

Welsh

In: Ronnie Courville

Out: Cody Gueringer