Bill Hurst (Mississippi): Best high school football coach in America, SBLive/SI readers decide

Hurst has led Centreville Academy to nine state championships heading into the 2024 season

Bill Hurst of Centreville Academy (Mississippi) was voted best high school football coach in America by SBLive/SI readers. / Courtesy of the Hurst family

Centreville Academy (Mississippi) football coach Bill Hurst has won high school state championships in 1976, 1979, 1989, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2007, 2008 and 2014.

Heading into his 48th season as head coach in 2024, Hurst won a national championship of a different sort this offseason when SBLive/SI readers voted him the best high school football coach in America.

He finished with 26,520 votes, beating out Notre Dame (Louisiana) coach Louie Cook, who picked up 22,451 votes.

Hurst's quest for a 10th Mississippi high school football state championship starts Friday, Aug. 30, against Brookhaven Academy.

Hurst would be heading into his 50th season in 2024, but he took two years off (in 1994 and 1995) to watch his son Brian (who now helps Dad coach the football team at Centreville) play ball at Southwest Mississippi Community College.

Centreville is coming off a 10-3 season in 2023, and the Tigers' last state championship was in 2014.

"I'm the headmaster and the principal at Centreville, and I was going to fire the head coach, which is me, if we couldn't win with this many seniors," Hurst told The Clarion-Ledger after the 35-21 win over Adams County Christian in the 2014 title game.

Hurst has 437 career wins, which is most in Mississippi high school football history and 12th-most across the country among active coaches.

“I’ve been blessed by the Good Lord to coach for many years,” Hurst told Mississippi Scoreboard last year. “I’ve had great kids and been fortunate to stay healthy. God has been good to me.”

Here's a photo gallery of Hurst over the years, provided by his family:

Bill Hurst, Centreville Academy (Mississippi) high school football coach. / Courtesy of the Hurst family

Bill Hurst, Centreville Academy (Mississippi) high school football coach. / Courtesy of the Hurst family

Bill Hurst, Centreville Academy (Mississippi) high school football coach. / Courtesy of the Hurst family

Bill Hurst, Centreville Academy (Mississippi) high school football coach. / Courtesy of the Hurst family

Bill Hurst, Centreville Academy (Mississippi) high school football coach. / Courtesy of the Hurst family

Bill Hurst, Centreville Academy (Mississippi) high school football coach. / Courtesy of the Hurst family

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports

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