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Julian Washington is glad to be home.

The first-year Chapel Hill head football coach played for the Panthers himself and has deep ties to Douglas County. Washington graduated from Chapel Hill in 2010, and his coaching stops included Har-Ber High School in Arkansas; Arabia Mountain in DeKalb County, where he led the team to a region title; and New Manchester, where he was defensive coordinator.

But Chapel Hill was where he wanted to be.

"It's really my dream job," Washington said at the recent DCSS Football Media Day. "You know, everybody says they have a dream job, but I really do feel like I'm at home."

The 2026 Panthers will have a mix of new and experienced players. Washington is focused on discipline, accountability and restoring a winning culture at Chapel Hill.

Washington said his goal is to win a region championship and go undefeated against the other four county high schools.

He said the team's biggest strength is its camaraderie.

"With me being an alum, I feel like I know how to talk to the kids," he said. "I feel like I know how to relate to them. I tell them all the time they remind me of a younger version of myself and my classmates, so I see a lot of myself in them."

Chapel Hill is now in Region 5-AAAAAA with this year’s reclassification, where they’ll compete against Alexander, East Paulding, Hiram, New Manchester, Osborne, South Cobb and South Paulding.

Washington highlighted several key players during the Media Day:

• LB/RB Kaleem Cheatham, Sr.
• DB Ahmed Drammeh, Sr.
• OL Tam Drammeh, Sr.
• OL Chidi Eziakor, Sr.
• WR Kingston Hughes, Sr.
• WR/DB Khareed McMillian, Sr.
• WR/ATH Jhordus Packer, Sr.
• WR Jacob Thomas, Sr.

The Panthers open the season at Lithia Springs in a non-region contest on Aug. 21.