Daily Dive: Maloof retires as Gwinnett's all-time winningest coach

Keith Maloof announced his retirement from coaching this week after 40 seasons of coaching26 of which came at Norcross High School. Today, Norcross is well-established as a football powerhouse and the back-to-back state titles Maloof led the Blue Devils to in 2012-13 cemented that status. Prior to Maloofs tenure Norcross had only won one playoff game. It took Maloof eight seasons to produce his first playoff run when the 2006 team advanced to the quarterfinals. Norcross went 10-2 in 2007 after the 12-1 quarterfinal run. Not only was that the first time the Blue Devils ever had back-to-back double-digit winning seasons, but it was also just the third and fourth time in a five-decade history that the program achieved a 10-win campaign.

The progression under Maloof continued and in 2012, Maloof joined his father George as one of three father-son pairs to ever win state titles. George Maloof led St. Pius to a 1968 state title. Maloofs older brother, Kevin, was a successful head coach at Loganville, Meadowcreek and Dacula and gave Keith his start into high school coaching. Kevins coaching record was 175-105-1. He retired after the 2010 season. Keiths son Tyler continues the coaching legacy serving as Laniers head coachensuring that 2025 will have a Maloof as a head coach for the 41st-straight season in Georgia.

Keiths 210-92 record at Norcross makes him the winningest head coach in Gwinnett County historywhich is perhaps the most impressive characteristic of his legacy. This past season, Norcross finished 8-4 and advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the seventh-consecutive seasonthe longest-such streak in program history. In 2023, Maloof passed retired Parkview coach Cecil Flowe for the most victories in Gwinnett County Schools history and was Gwinnetts first 200-game winner. Flowes record was 197-67.

Corey Richardson, a Norcross assistant for 23 seasons, will be Maloofs successor, the school announced.

Just the fact that its 40 years, and that number has always stuck in my mind, Maloof told the GHSFD about retiring after four decades. My Dad retired after 40 years. Norcross has been a great place for us as a family. Both of my sons [Tanner and Tyler] went to Norcross and played for me and eventually coached with me. To come to this decision is bittersweet, and its hard to walk away, but weve got six grandchildren three by Tanner and Laura Beth and three by Tyler and Dana and Lisa [Maloofs wife] and I want to go to kids events, and we want to travel and just wake up and do whatever we want to do. Ill still be involved at Norcross helping Corey raise money, and Ill still be in the community, and Ill help Tyler raise money at Lanier. Ill still hang around the sport because of them. But it was time to go. I felt this was as good a time as any. The program is in great shape, and its been very successful for 26 years.



HEAD COACHING CHANGES THIS OFFSEASON

Alpharetta - Jason Kervin
Berrien - Ken Eldridge
Brookwood - Philip Jones
Calvary Day Mark Stroud
Cedar Grove - Roderick Moore
Central Gwinnett - Larry Harold
Crisp County Lawrence Smith
Dalton - Kit Carpenter
Dawson County - Sid Maxwell
ECI - Chris Kearson
Etowah - Matt Kemper
Flowery Branch Jason Tester
Greene County - Terrance Banks
Josey Lawrence Pinkney
KIPP Collegiate James Briscoe
Lithia Springs - Corey Jarvis
*Loganville - Gene Cathcart/Stephen Smith
Marietta - Richard Morgan
Meadowcreek - Todd Wofford
Murray County - Kurt Napier
Norcross - Keith Maloof
Northside-Warner Robins - Ben Bailey
Northview - Scott Schwarzer
Pace Academy - Nick Bach
South Forsyth - Troy Morris
Southeast Whitfield - Todd Murray
Veterans - Josh Ingram
Washington Justin Rivers
Westminster Gerry Romberg
*Smith replaced Cathcart in midseason as interim coach.