Toomer returns home aboard staff as receivers coach, assistant head coach
Through all the roads that Antwan Toomer has taken, Jones County has always been home for the 2003 JCHS graduate.
Now — after a coaching journey that has seen him coach more than 70 players to have played in college and multiple NFL draft picks in addition to coaching in college — Toomer is back to where it all was rooted as part of the Greyhounds football coaching staff.
Toomer is on board as not just the receivers coach but as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator.
One common thread between Toomer and Greyhounds head coach Justin Montgomery comes by way of one coach that they worked under. Montgomery was previously defensive coordinator under Joey King at Carrollton, whom Toomer was on staff under during the 2016 state championship season at Cartersville.
Coming back to Gray was on Toomer’s mind even before Montgomery was hired. In fact, Toomer himself was among those to interview for the position.
Despite being passed over, the desire to be able to coach back in a community that he is from and put blood, sweat and tears into as a player was a strong draw for Toomer and one he could not pass up.
“It was a huge draw. Even though I applied for the head coaching job and didn’t get it, it’s a blessing to be able to come back home and into this community. Everything kind of fell into place,” Toomer said. “It’s exciting for me because it’s my second time back. To be able to come back to Jones County, it’s exciting to be here.”
And with Toomer back in Jones County, he is also taking charge of a receiving group that’s eager to step up. Jones County is tasked with making up for the losses of last year’s top three receiving targets in terms of yards, and JR Clark is the lone returner with more than a touchdown catch a season ago.
The upcoming group took a key next step during the spring, concluding that portion of the offseason with the J-Day scrimmage.
“I think we’ll be good; I think we’ll alright,” Toomer said. “A lot of them don’t have experience, so we just have to get them in the right place.”
In addition to Clark, those expected to be factors at receiver include Nate Vaughn, Jayden Johnson, Travion Stephens and Trey’Vonn Allen.
With so many younger players in the running for starting spots or places in receiver rotations, there’s another aspect that Toomer sees as an upside.
“I think it breeds unity,” he said. “With the ‘next man up’ mentality, you never know when your number will be called. Everyone is fighting to get on the field, and it really builds unity.”
