Just a few months after saying he coached his final football game, Sam Barrs has accepted a position as associate head football coach at Trinity Christian. Barrs will join the staff of head coach Buddy Woodard at the GISA school in Dublin.

“I have no doubt that his work here will be similar to what we’ve seen over his career,” Trinity Christian headmaster Rick Johnson said in a statement. “He is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and has a strong desire to be involved in the lives of students to help them to develop into all God wants for them.”

Barrs returns to Dublin, where he coached the Dublin High football team from 1991 to 2001. Barrs led the Irish to the state championship game in 1994. Woodard coached under Barrs at Dublin.

“He is a gifted coach and a very good friend,” Woodard said. “I am looking forward to coaching with him again ... He has a tremendous passion for students and we are blessed to have him. His experience and knowledge will help make our football program better.”

Barrs is 156-114 as a head football coach. He has also served as a member of the GHSA executive committee for years, including a stint on the powerful reclassification committee the past two years.

He spent the past seven years coaching at his alma mater Bleckley County. Barrs took the Royals to the quarterfinals in 2006, and they ended a four-year playoff drought in 2011 when they returned to the playoffs.

Barrs started his head coaching career at Crisp County, where he won 11 games twice in six years as the head coach.

“I got very excited about the possibilities of what could be done at Trinity Christian School after meeting with Mr. Johnson and talking to coach Buddy Woodard,” Barrs said in a statement. “I have been in coaching for 37 years and still have the desire to coach kids. After talking to some people and seeing what Trinity Christian School has to offer, I got very excited.”