Larry Carter Jr. named VDN’s 2026 Junior High Head Football Coach of the Year

Last updated: October 25, 2026

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) —

Great coaches are not just measured by the number of games they win, but by their ability to overcome adversity, develop young athletes and turn challenges into success. For Vicksburg Junior High School head football coach Larry Carter Jr., the 2026 season was a perfect example of that.

Carter has been named the Vicksburg Daily News Junior High School Head Football Coach of the Year, making him the recipient of the Coach Chip Award after leading the Gators to an impressive 6-1 record and an appearance in the Little Six Championship.

The honor is another milestone in Carter’s coaching career, but he was quick to recognize the individuals who helped make the season possible.

“I’d like to thank my coaches, Jerdon Hardiman, Joe Johnson Jr. and Skooter Wells,” Carter said.

The road to success was not an easy one for Carter and his Gators. At the beginning of the season, VJHS faced depth issues that left the veteran coach working with a smaller roster than he would have preferred.

However, instead of allowing those challenges to define his team, Carter found a way to turn a small group of athletes into champions.

The Gators opened their season with a dominating 42-6 victory over Pearl, setting the tone for what would become one of the school’s most successful seasons in recent years.

VJHS went on to average 33 points per game while establishing itself as one of the most explosive junior high football teams in the area.

“We did so good offensively that we only punted the ball four times,” Carter said.

Despite being a feeder program for a Class 5A high school, the Gators proved they could compete against some of Mississippi’s largest and most talented programs.

VJHS picked up impressive victories over Germantown, Warren Central and Brandon on its way to becoming West Conference champions.

For Carter, those victories meant much more than simply adding another win to the record books. They were proof that determination, preparation and hard work could overcome the odds.

“The fact that we’re a 5A feeder program and able to beat 7A and 6A programs that are ranked in the top 10 in Mississippi and beat them by 20 or more points is phenomenal,” Carter said.

The Gators eventually advanced to the Little Six Championship for the first time since 2019, where they faced an undefeated Byram team.

Although VJHS battled throughout the championship game, the Gators fell short by just one touchdown, ending their hopes of bringing another title back to the Swamp.

Still, the loss did little to overshadow what Carter and his players accomplished.

A team that entered the season facing depth concerns had transformed into a conference champion and one of the final two teams competing for the Little Six title.

The success also created opportunities for several players to receive individual recognition.

Kaleb Sims, Rush Sudds, Malcolm Turner, Sam Jackson and D’Chance Thigpen were among the Gators selected to All-Star teams following their outstanding performances.

For Carter, seeing his athletes receive recognition was another reminder of why he continues to coach.

“It makes me feel well as a coach to get five guys on an All-Star team and it’s outstanding, so I feel like I did a good job with them,” Carter said.

Winning championships and building successful football programs is nothing new for Carter, who has spent the past 17 years as head coach at Vicksburg Junior High School.

This year’s honor marks the second time he has been named Coach of the Year.

In 2019, Carter guided the Gators through an undefeated season that ended with a Little Six Championship and Coach of the Year recognition.

Seven years later, he found himself back on the championship stage, proving that his passion for the game and his commitment to developing young athletes have not faded.

“Kind of disappointed it took so long to get back here,” Carter said jokingly. “We plan on being back next year and we’re already working on some things.”

Long before Carter began building champions from the sidelines, he knew what it meant to be one on the football field.

In 1988, Carter was a star running back at Warren Central High School, where he helped lead the Vikings to a state championship.

His football journey later took him to Howard University, where he continued playing the game that would eventually become a major part of his life’s work.

Decades later, Carter is still using the lessons he learned as a player to help shape the next generation of athletes in Vicksburg.

His 2026 season serves as a reminder that success is not always determined by the size of a roster or the classification of an opponent, but by the heart, discipline and determination of the individuals willing to compete.

While the Gators did not finish the season holding a championship trophy, they walked away with a conference title, a 6-1 record and a renewed standard of excellence.

And for Carter, the work is far from finished.

With 17 years of head coaching experience, two Coach of the Year honors and a championship-winning background, he has shown no signs of slowing down.

As another football season comes to an end, Carter has already turned his attention toward developing the next group of young athletes who will proudly wear the green and white.

The goal remains the same: Build champions, compete at the highest level and bring another championship back to the Swamp.