Former Wheeler High School football coach Bryan Love is staying in East Cobb.
Pope High School announced on Thursday that Love has been named an assistant principal for the 2026-27 school year that begins on Aug. 3.
“What excites me about joining Pope High School is the opportunity to become part of a school known for its outstanding academics, student involvement, and strong sense of community,” Love said in a message on the school’s Facebook page.
“I look forward to building meaningful relationships with students, faculty, staff and families while supporting a positive school culture where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
According to Love’s human resources appointment sheet, he began his duties at Pope on July 10.
For the last seven years, Love was a teacher and head football coach at Wheeler, compiling a record of 26-47 and one state playoff appearance. Wheeler announced a coaching change in January and hired Travis Roland, who won a state championship in Florida.
Love’s previous teaching, coaching and administrative experience includes McEachern High School, Westlake High School in Atlanta, Woodland High School in Stockbridge, Camden County High School and Lamar County High School.
He was an athletics director at Westlake and Lamar County for a total of four years, according to his resume.
A graduate of West Virginia State University, Love holds a master’s degree in education from Berry College and he began his teaching career in Volusia County, Fla.
Love said in his message to the Pope community that each of his roles as a teacher, coach and athletics director “has reinforced my belief that strong relationships, high expectations and a commitment to student success are at the heart of a thriving school community.
“My goal is to help every student feel known, supported, challenged, and prepared for success beyond high school.”
Love will be one of five assistant principals at Pope under Principal Matthew Bradford, who also came from Wheeler.
Josh Mathews, Pope’s athletics director and an assistant principal for the last 14 years, left for Florida in June.
The Cobb County School District said Pope assistant principal Lindsay Barnette will be succeeding Mathews.
In the 2025-26 school year, Pope was named a recipient of the Georgia Athletic Directors Association Directors’ Cup, which goes to all-sports champions in each of the Georgia High School Association sports classifications.
Pope had the highest point total in Class 6A with state champions in girls cross country, girls track and field and flag football, a state finalist baseball team and state semifinals appearances in volleyball and girls soccer.
In a message on the Pope athletics Facebook page in June, Mathews said it was “time to close the chapter on one part of the book and the book continues.
“As I walk out I’m just appreciative of all the teams and coaches and the community . . . I just think about all the special moments that we got to experience at Pope.
“We are incredibly grateful for our time time getting to serve here as the athletic director at Pope High School. . . . What a privilege, what an honor. We wish you nothing but the best.”
Related:
- Race car driver from Walton HS honored as ‘positive athlete’
- Kell wins state baseball championship; Pope finishes as runner-up
- Atlanta Braves legendary manager Bobby Cox, East Cobb resident, dies
- Walton lacrosse team rallies around athlete battling cancer
- Cobb PARKS presents new Shaw Park field relocation plans
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