Known to the world of high school football as “Coach T,” Thomas Sumner McFerrin IV, whose 34 years as a head coach in Georgia crafted a 317-84-4 record – the ninth-winningest record in Georgia history, succumbed on July 1, 2025 to dementia after dealing with the impervious disease that he fought for over four years.
Born on February 6, 1942 and raised in Murfreesboro, Tenn., he died at age 83 in Monroe, Ga,, leaving an iconic legacy as a Georgia High School football coach.
His parents were Florence Cox McFerrin and Thomas Sumner McFerrin III. His brothers, Sam and Jim McFerrin, are both still living in Tennessee.
Coach T is survived by his wife Jane Johnston McFerrin; son Thomas “Tom” Sumner McFerrin V; son Robert “Rob” Johnston McFerrin; daughter-in-law Stephanie McFerrin; grandchildren Anna Parks Kindig (Drew Kindig) and Matthew Parks; and sister-in-law Judy Johnston Adams.
Coach T’s background included two years of college at Millsaps in Jackson, Miss., which he attended on a football scholarship. He transferred to Middle Tennessee State University and graduated with a BS in history in 1964 and then earned a Master’s degree in history (MA) from Florida State University in 1965.
He began his teaching and coaching career at Druid Hills High School (DeKalb County) in 1965. His first head coaching position came in 1968 at Lithonia High School in DeKalb County, a place that had not known winning in years. His first year there the Bulldogs went 8-1-1. In 1969, his second season as a head coach, Lithonia played for the state championship.
Under McFerrin’s tutelage, he led seven schools to region titles, five to state semifinals, and four to championship games, with two state titles (Elbert County, 1995 and Jefferson, 2012), during his 34 years coaching in Georgia. Combined with the four years he coached in Tennessee, McFerrin compiled a 341-101-4 record. He also won three State Championships in tennis with Tucker High School in 1988, 89, and 90.
He was inducted into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame in 2014, two years after his third and final retirement and winning the state championship at Jefferson. Five years later (2019), Coach T was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
Aside from all of his professional accolades, Coach T’s character is what will be his legacy. The trait that stood out most to his son, Tom, was how he treated others: “Dad always treated everyone, whether it was managers, custodians, players, parents, administration, or media, with the same respect and love. It did not matter if you were a star player or fourth string, he treated everyone the same.”
His faith was displayed in his everyday life. Rob recalls, “Dad came from a long line of preachers, but he decided to go into another form of ministry called teaching and coaching. He was not one to preach at you, but he lived out his Christian values through his actions and how he treated people. After retirement, he became very involved in Monroe First Methodist Church, FCA, and the CLC (Christian Learning Center), as well as serving on many committees and boards around the state.”
When one considers that there have literally been thousands of men to coach high school football in Georgia, and only 69 of them have won 200 or more games in their careers, to put his legendary career on an even more special plateau, Rob provided some insight to the axiom ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ – “When people, coaches, or players were around Coach T, they did not want to disappoint him or let him down, Dad had the innate ability to make people strive to do their best. And he was always able to get the best out of everyone.”
McFerrin, a man diminutive in stature, left this world as a giant in his industry, one committed to making those around him feel better because he took the time to care and share his love and devotion to those he encountered along the way to becoming an icon that truly set him apart from his peers. Coach T influenced hundreds of lives to follow his actions and directions, and those that did so quite obviously became better persons for having crossed paths with a man whose morals, ethics and personal behavior were above reproach.:
His funeral was held July 8 at the Lighthouse World Outreach Center in Monroe. Meadows Funeral Home, Inc. was in charge of arrangements.
