Starkville Academy Will Part Ways with Longtime Head Coach at the End of the School Year

On Monday, the Starkville Daily News reported that Chase Nicholson will be stepping down as the head football coach for the Starkville Academy Volunteers.

He will depart as the school's all-time winningest coach which is highlighted by the Volunteers winning the 2017 MAIS Class 3A District 2 State Championship.

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Nicholson's Stint as an Assistant Coach and Offensive Coordinator

Nicholson was hired in 2008 as an assistant coach under Brian Sims, and the first two seasons were some of the worst in school history.

In 2008, the Volunteers started the season off at 4-3, but lost the final four games by a combined score of 132-7 which included three shutouts. The 2009 season only got worse as this season was the worst in school history. The Volunteers set a school record for points allowed with 450, set a school record with 11 losses and set a school record with points allowed in a game with 63. The team also only scored more than 20 points once that season.

Beginning in 2010, Nicholson was kept on staff and promoted to offensive coordinator under Jeff Terrill who was hired to replace Sims. Under the tutelage of Terrill and his triple option offense, the Volunteers finished the season at 3-8. This paved the way for SA's greatest success since the 1970s.

From 2011-2014, Starkville Academy won at least 10 games twice and finished with an overall record of 30-19. This four year stretch also saw SA defeat Jackson Academy in 2014 which is the school's only ever win over the Raiders, and the Volunteers won two district titles with two state championship appearances. The offense under Nicholson's guidance and play-calling averaged at least 24 points per game three times and 30 points per game in 2014.

Nicholson Took Over for Terrill in 2015

After Terrill stepped down from the head coaching position at the end of the 2014 season, Nicholson was handed the reins as head coach.

In his first season as head coach, the Volunteers won their third district title since 2011, won double digit games again and averaged 28 points per game. In 2016, the Volunteers took a step back, but they still managed to win eight games while making the playoffs for the third straight season.

Nicholson and the Volunteers reached the summit in 2017 as they won the school's first state championship since 2005 with a 21-14 win over Indianola Academy. The team finished with a 13-1 record which included outscoring the opposition 102-0 in the playoffs prior to the state championship game. This was also Nicholson's highest scoring offense since 2014 as they averaged 30 points per game.

From 2018-2025, the Volunteers won nine games three times including the program's last district title in 2023.

Under Nicholson, SA proved to be one of the most consistent programs in the MAIS as they only finished with a losing record one time in 2024.

Nicholson Leaves a Lasting Impact for the Volunteers

"Coach Nick" as his players called him was not only a tremendous coach, but an outstanding teacher and role model in his time at SA. His positive influence and emotional impact that he had on his players and students will be felt for years to come.

“I’ve loved every kid that I’ve ever coached and taught at this school", Nicholson told the Starkville Daily News.