OPELOUSAS — Opelousas football head coach Jimmy Zachery is leaving his alma mater to become the leader at Liberty Magnet High School in Baton Rouge.
In his five seasons with the Tigers, Zachery owned a 36-20 overall record.
Zachery, who played for Opelousas from 1997-2001, led the Tigers to their first football state championship in school history in 2023.
The Patriots program has struggled in recent years, finishing 3-7 in 2024, 2-8 in 2023, and 1-8 in 2022. Zachery, however, believes he's ready for the challenge.
"Meeting the principal and athletic director at Liberty Magnet, I could tell they are willing to give me the tools to be successful," Zachery said. "They want to win and turn the program around, and the kids are excited—they have a lot of potential. That’s what this profession is about: wanting to grow and advance. I feel like I did as much as I could at Opelousas without losing momentum and took the program as far as I could. I know they’re going to find someone who will do a great job, continue the success, and keep the tradition and legacy going."
Zachery thanked Opelousas for his time as leader, saying that he always wanted to leave things better than he found them.
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