Alabama high school football set to welcome 91 new head coaches in 2024
![New Carver Montgomery head football coach Bobby Carr has a 250-52 career record over 25 seasons as a high school football head coach at three previous schools. He has also won 10 state championships. New Carver Montgomery head football coach Bobby Carr has a 250-52 career record over 25 seasons as a high school football head coach at three previous schools. He has also won 10 state championships.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3000,h_1687,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/high_school/01j44hegdvve99bpczp9.jpg)
According to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society (AHSFHS), 91 schools will welcome new head football coaches when the 2024 season kicks off in a few weeks. Classes 6A and 4A have seen the most turnover with 16 new coaches each and every classification except 7A, which has nine changes in leadership, has at least 11.
Below is the AHSFHS breakdown on the new coaches in each classification:
Class 7A
New Head Coaches: 9
Noteable: Juan Johnson of Baker, John Lambert of Davidson and Roy Upchurch of J.A.G are all first time head coaches.
2024 Alabama Class 7A New Head Coaches:
School (LY Record) | 2024 Head Coach |
---|---|
Baker (8-3) | Juan Johnson |
Carver Montgomery (7-4) | Bobby Carr |
Davidson (5-6) | John Lambert |
Hoover (5-7) | Drew Gilmer |
Huntsville (5-5) | Jimmy Gay |
J.A.G. (0-10) | Roy Upchurch |
Opelika (4-6) | Bryan Moore |
Robertsdale (0-10) | Chris Bell |
Tuscaloosa County (5-5) | Mike Holcomb |
RELATED: The Drew Gilmer era is set to get undeway at Hoover High School football (Alabama)
Class 6A
New Head Coaches: 16
Noteable: As of Aug. 1, Paul Bryant high school still has a vacancy for its head coaching position after John McKenzie departed for the post at Vigor. Joe Webb, who had a 10-year playing career in the NFL, is the new head coach at Jackson-Olin.
2024 Alabama Class 6A New Head Coaches:
School (LY Record) | 2024 Head Coach |
---|---|
Baldwin County (2-8) | Andrew Davis |
Brookwood (1-9) | Chris Foster |
Calera (0-10) | Scott Rials |
Chilton County | Eddie Wall |
Clay-Chalkville (14-0) | Stuart Floyd |
Decatur (3-7) | John Ritter |
Hartselle (9-3) | Bert Newton |
Hazel Green (0-10 | Fred Farrier |
Jackson-Olin (0-10) | Joe Webb |
Mortimer Jordan (8-3) | Heath Lauderdale |
Park Crossing (3-7) | Charles Biggers |
Paul Bryant (1-9) | Vacant |
Pell City (1-9) | Nick Gentry |
Percy Julian (5-5) | Kenneth White |
Pinson Valley (4-6) | James Thompson |
Southside Gadsden (8-3) | Ben Stewart |
Class 5A
New Head Coaches: 12
Noteable: Seven of the new head coaches in 5A take over teams which had winning records in 2023. Dustin Goodwin takes over a Russellville team which won nine games last fall, after two seasons as an assistant at Thompson. Previously, he served four seasons as the head coach at Chelsea.
2024 Alabama Class 5A New Head Coaches:
School (LY Record) | 2024 Head Coach |
---|---|
Arab (8-3) | Kyle Routon |
Carroll (4-7) | Matt Mellown |
East Limestone (3-7) | Will Johnson |
Faith Academy (8-4) | Erik Speakman |
Holtville (7-4) | Cory Lee |
Jemison (1-9) | Rishard Davis |
Montevallo (7-3) | Garrett Langer |
Priceville (5-7) | Seth Parker |
Russellville (9-3) | Dustin Goodwin |
Scottsboro (8-3) | Tyler Vann |
Vigor (7-3) | John McKenzie |
West Point (5-6) | Kevin McCravy |
Class 4A
New Head Coaches: 16
Noteable: Former Catholic Montgomery head coach Aubrey Blackwell has returned to the Montgomery area, as the head coach at St. James, after compiling a 17-9 record in two seasons at Jackson Academy in Mississippi. He replaces Neal Posey who stepped down February to accept a coaching position on the college level.
2024 Alabama Class 4A New Head Coaches:
School (LY Record) | 2024 Head Coach |
---|---|
B.T. Washington (9-5) | Deandre Austin |
Cleburne County (4-7) | Vaughn Lee |
Cordova (2-8) | Brian Maner |
D.A.R. (0-10) | Vacant |
Daleville (3-7) | Maurice Freeman |
Etowah (8-6) | Scott Peavey |
Madison County (2-8) | Chris Hancock |
Mobile Christian (15-0) | Charles Lawson |
New Hope (4-6) | Michael Harper |
Opp (4-7) | Ed Rigby |
Orange Beach (1-8) | Wade Waldrop |
St. James (11-3) | Aubrey Blackwell |
St. John Paul II (4-6) | Kevin Creehan |
Straughn (10-2) | Garrett Windham |
Talladega (0-10) | Damien Dorsey |
Tallassee (1-9) | Lawrence O'Neal |
West Blocton (6-5) | Chris Wilson |
Class 3A
New Head Coaches: 11
Noteable: New Whitesburg head coach Jere Adcock comes out of retirement, after one year, to return to the sidelines. He won 187 games and went to the playoffs 21 times in 27 season as the head coach at Decatur High School.
2024 Alabama Class 3A New Head Coaches:
School (LY Record) | 2024 Head Coach |
---|---|
Brindlee Mountain (0-10) | Jake Pittman |
Clements (5-5) | Brick Pugh |
Dadeville (4-5) | Chad McKelvey |
Dallas County (0-10) | Darryl Watts |
Elkmont (4-6) | Joel Schrenk |
Hanceville (4-6) | Levi Estes |
Holly Pond (2-8) | Will McDaniel |
J.B. Pennington (8-3) | Jordan Cantrell |
Sheffield (3-7) | Johnny Wright |
Sylvania (10-3) | Tanner Nelson |
Whitesburg Christian (2-8) | Jere Adcock |
Class 2A
New Head Coaches: 14
Noteable: Branden Hall has big shoes to fill a Loachapoka, which went 10-1 in 2023. He replaces Fredrick Newton, who stepped down after 20 years when he was elected to the Chambers County School Board in the spring.
2024 Alabama Class 2A New Head Coaches:
School (LY Record) | 2024 Head Coach |
---|---|
Central Coosa (3-7) | Daniel Flowers |
Central Hayneville (2-7) | Jul Little |
Chickasaw (5-6) | Dedrick Sumpter |
Gaston (2-8) | Derrick Sewell |
Geneva County (0-10) | Al Gilmore |
Highland Home (10-2) | Justin Bragg |
Houston County (5-5) | Tanner Harris |
Lanett (4-6) | R.J. McDonald |
Loachapoka (10-1) | Branden Hall |
Luverne (7-4) | Bobby Hudson |
North Sand Mountain (5-6) | Jay Lipscomb |
St. Lukes (6-5) | Joe Gilmore |
Tanner (8-4) | Matt Smith |
West End Walnut Grove (5-6) | Matt Harris |
Class 1A
New Head Coaches: 13
Notable: Brad Palmer returns to Waterloo where he coached for six seasons, going 27-36 with three playoff appearances. He has been away for four years and the team went winless in nine games in 2023.
2024 Alabama Class 1A New Head Coaches:
School (LY Record) | 2024 Head Coach |
---|---|
Autuga Academy (8-4) | Jeff Foshee |
Berry Fayette (4-6) | Danny Raines |
Brilliant (3-7) | Hayden Bryant |
Donoho (0-9) | William Smith |
Florala (7-4) | Kyle Davis |
Fruitdale (1-9) | Lane Brown |
Leroy (14-0) | Chan Lowe |
Pickens Academy (2-8) | Kyle Fuller |
Pleasant Home (1-9) | Kevin Bond |
Sumiton Christian (4-6) | Jarius Williams |
Victory Christian (4-6) | Matt Griffith |
Waterloo (0-9) | Brad Palmer |
Woodland (3-7) | Kevin Smith |
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