FOOTBALL FRIDAY: New St. James coach Posey fills out his coaching staff

Neal Posey has named several assistants to his staff for the upcoming season. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

St. James recently wrapped up three weeks of spring practice under new coach Neal Posey and a staff that included two new additions. 

Josh Blackwell and Cody Rachatellelle are among the new hires for Posey, who was elevated from offensive coordinator following the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Perry. 

The biggest news, however, is the return of former assistant coach Larry Ware, who served as head coach at Valiant Cross Academy in 2022 before stepping down and returning to St. James. 

“That’s huge,” Posey said. “When he called me and told me he wanted to come back, I had just gotten hired and I was like, ‘That’s still the best news I’ve heard all week.’ I’m excited to have him. He just knows so much and is so experienced. It’s a great addition, to have him back.”

Ware, a former record-setting Mr. Football at Robert E. Lee in the mid-1980s, was an assistant coach at several schools in the area before getting his first head coaching position at G.W. Carver in 2002. After six years with the Wolverines, Ware was named as the head coach at his alma mater in 2008 and served there for four years before he was forced to resign.

Ware was immediately hired by Perry, his former offensive coordinator when the pair were at Lee, and served as an assistant at St. James from 2012 to 2021, stepping down to become the head coach at Valiant Cross. He will coach the offensive line and the secondary for the Trojans.  

Blackwell played catcher at Jeff Davis for Tommy Goodson in 2000-02, then went to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College in 2003 and 2004 and to Troy University for three years beginning in 2005, a redshirt season. He has spent the last three years coaching linebackers at Macon East Academy and will have the same responsibilities with the Trojans. 

 “He’s smart in dealing with the linebackers and helping with the defense,” Posey said. “It’s nice to have more eyes and hands (watching practice). Our guys are very coachable.”

Rachatellelle, from Columbia, Mo., started his career at Westminster College in Missouri before moving on to Huntingdon College, where he was a senior long snapper this past season. He will assist coaching the linemen on both sides of the ball in addition to serving as the special teams coach. 

“He’s going to help us with special teams and help Coach Ware with the offensive line,” Posey said, “and help Coach (Wes) Smith with the defensive line.”  

In addition to Smith and defensive coordinator Jeff Corley, the Trojans will return Jackson Hammick, who will be coaching running backs and linebackers, and Cory Wright, who will be entering his fourth season (along with Hammick) coaching the receivers.