FACS Announces Doug Abernathy as New Varsity Football Head Coach

Coach Doug Abernathy

“To the players, you’re the reason I applied for the job and why I accepted the job. It’s not about me, it’s about you. To say that this is my dream job is an understatement, but ultimately it’s about the opportunity to coach these particular young men. I’ve been with some of you since you were at the youth level. I’ve coached some of your fathers and your uncles.” – Coach Doug Abernathy

FACS is proud to announce that Doug Abernathy, a 1994 graduate of First Assembly Christian School, has been named the new head coach of our varsity football program. Coach Abernathy brings nearly three decades of coaching experience, a heart for ministry, and a deep love for FACS and its mission.

Coach Abernathy attended the University of Memphis and played football under legendary FACS coach Philip Spain—a man he calls not only his coach and mentor but also a spiritual father and leader. That legacy runs deep. Coach Abernathy spent six years coaching under Coach Spain and has served as our head middle school football coach for the past four years. His connection to FACS and the FACS Football program and school spans decades, including as a proud father of two sons—one of whom currently attends FACS.

“After an extensive review of excellent candidates, we believe that Coach Abernathy is a familiar face and will lead us into the future. He loves this school, he believes in this school, and after a year of many coaching changes, stability and familiarity was something we wanted for our athletes,” said Head of School, Dr. Bryan Sanders.

Coach Abernathy sees this role as more than just a job—it’s a ministry. His desire is to continue building on the strong foundation that has already been laid, honoring the legacy of those who came before him, and guiding young men both on and off the field.

“Coaching is a ministry to me,” said Abernathy. “I know I have a small window to impact the lives of these young men, and it’s an honor to use football as that avenue.”

His short-term goals are focused on providing stability, developing fundamentally sound players, and instilling discipline and excellence in every facet of the game. From a football standpoint, Coach Abernathy’s vision is clear: “The philosophy of our program is to build a disciplined football team that does not commit penalties and does not turn the ball over. We want to be the team nobody wants to play. We want to play fundamentally sound football in all 3 phases of the game— that is what the FACS Football program was built on. We want to be strong on special teams. They don’t call them special for nothing. We want them to play fast and physical on defense. On offense, we want to be physically dominant in the run game and diverse and explosive in the passing game.”

We are excited about the legacy and future of FACS Football. Please join us in welcoming Coach Doug Abernathy as he steps into this new chapter with courage, humility, and a passion to lead FACS Football into the future.