Louisiana football power West Monroe hires former assistant as its new head coach

Ouachita Parish coach Todd Garvin leaves after two years to take over helm of Rebels

By Mike Coppage 

Photo of Todd Garvin by Jimmy Jones

Former West Monroe assistant Todd Garvin was named as the Rebels' new head football coach on Tuesday evening.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Garvin was hired immediately following his second interview with the advisory committee and new principal Dan Lane. At least one other candidate was scheduled to interview a second time on Wednesday, but that interview was canceled by Lane.

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Garvin moves over from Ouachita Parish High School. He was head coach of the Lions for two years.

In his first year, the Lions posted a 9-4 record while reaching the Class 5A quarterfinals as a No. 11 seed.

The Lions went 5-5 in the regular season last year and reached the second round of the Division I non-select playoffs as a No. 17 seed.

Garvin's signature wins at Ouachita included a 2021 defeat of West Monroe and a Week 2 win against Neville last year.

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He takes over a West Monroe program that has won eight state championships (1993, 1996-98, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2011). The Rebels' last title game appearance was a 2018 loss to Zachary.

In addition, the program has eight runner-up finishes beginning in 1999.

Last year, West Monroe went 7-2 in the regular season before reaching the second round of the playoffs as a No. 12 seed. The Rebels made a semifinal appearance as a No. 10 seed in 2020.

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The West Monroe job came open last month when Jerry Arledge, who had been the coach since 2013, stepped down, but will continue serving as the school's athletic director. Arledge went 112-36-1 in his tenure with the Rebels, which included state runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2018.

Garvin, who also served as an assistant coach at Ruston High, played quarterback for Ouachita during his prep career. 

Ouachita quickly found a replacement for Garvin, as later on Wednesday, the Lions promoted defensive coordinator Benjy Lewis to head coach. Lewis, a former defensive coordinator at nearby Neville, joined Garvin when the latter took the Ouachita job two years ago.