Monroe High parts ways with football coach Lacey Herring

ALBANY — Monroe High School is in the market for a new head football coach.

Lacey Herring was informed Monday by principal Lawanna Farley Johnson that the school is moving in a different direction, ending a five-year run that included three consecutive playoff appearances and a steady attempt to rebuild a proud but challenged program.

“It’s part of the business,” Herring said. “It’s not personal. The sting is not being there for the kids and wondering what their future holds. I just told them I love them and I’ll always be there for them.”

Herring took over the Tornadoes in 2020 and compiled a 20-35 record. Monroe reached the state playoffs twice under his direction but did not advance beyond the first round in either of those appearances. This past season proved to be the toughest, with the Tornadoes winning only one region game and failing to qualify for the postseason.

The decision, according to school officials, was about the program’s direction moving forward.

Herring said the news came as a surprise.

“Yesterday was unexpected,” he said. “So I don’t have anything definitive lined up. I do have some options I’m thinking through at the moment. I’m taking some time to make sure I make the best choice for me and my family.”

While the record ultimately drove the decision, Herring leaves behind more than numbers. He inherited a program in transition and helped return Monroe to the playoff picture, even if the next step proved elusive.

Now Monroe turns the page again, searching for a coach who can turn consistency into contention.

As for Herring, he said his focus remains on the relationships he built along the way.

“The sting is not being there for the kids and wondering what their future holds. I just told them I loved them and I’ll always be there for them.”

In high school football, that’s usually the part that matters most — even when the results column says otherwise.