The high school football season is over, which means the coaching carousel is starting to spin.
Two Mississippi Coast schools are now looking for new head football coaches after the resignation of St. Stanislaus’ Tim Lala and the departure of Biloxi’s Katlan French.
Lala made the announcement he is leaving the Rock-A-Chaws after just one year to spend more time with his family. His wife recently gave birth to their second child.
A former assistant coach for the Pascagoula Panthers, Lala and his family still live in Pascagoula.
“His birth has helped me gain a fresh perspective about the toll that the distance between our home and the amazing place that is St. Stanislaus College was taking on my family,” Lala posted on social media.
Lala, who spent the 2015 season as an assistant at SSC, guided the Rocks to a 9-2 record and their first district title in seven years in his only year at the helm. St. Stanislaus advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the second straight season.
SSC will be searching for its third football coach in as many years.
Meanwhile, French and Biloxi officials came to a mutual understanding for him to no longer lead the Indians program.
French, who spent six seasons as Biloxi’s coach, posted a 34-31 mark and guided the Indians to the postseason in four of the last five years.
Biloxi, unfortunately, didn’t post a playoff win during that span. losing to powerhouse Oak Grove in the first round the past two seasons. The Warriors claimed the 7A state championship this season.
The Indians finished the 2023 season with a 6-6 record.
“My family and I are extremely grateful for the time we have had in Biloxi,” French said in a statement he released Sunday. “I loved and cherished every minute as the head football coach for the Indians. We took great pride here and we left it way better than we found it. For that I am pleased.”
French said he appreciated his coaching staff, players and the time his family spent in Biloxi.
“With that being said, in this line of business there are times when it’s just time to move on, and we look forward to the next chapter God has for us,” said French. “We wish Biloxi football the absolute best.”
French came to Biloxi as part of the coaching staff when Bobby Hall took over the program in 2015. French was promoted in 2018 to his first head coaching job. At age 36, he is the sixth-winningest football coach in Biloxi history.
The Indians have not won a playoff game since a 31-6 victory over Hattiesburg in 2011.
