GUYTON — Effingham County won’t have a shortage of options when it comes to time to select the successor to head football coach Buddy Holder.

While attending Friday’s Effingham County-South Effingham basketball games, Superintendent Dr. Yancy Ford told the Herald that 25-30 applications have been received. The deadline to submit an application is Jan. 7, 2020.

Holder announced in November that he was stepping down after the 2020 season in favor of another post in the Effingham County School District. The team finished 3-7, giving him a 43-42 mark and four state playoff appearances in eight years on the job.

Ford said a committee will be formed to review the applications, interview the leading candidates and make a recommendation to the Effingham County Board of Education. The committee will include some board personnel, Principal Amie Dickerson, athletic director Matt Huntley and possibly Effingham County’s teacher of the year.

The new head coach isn’t likely to be named until February.