Post by Trojan Warrior on Oct 8, 2014 19:53:38 GMT -6
By Josh Bean | jbean@al.com
Remember when people scoffed at the notion that a high-school coach could flourish at the collegiate level?
Then, along came Joey Jones at South Alabama, Bill Clark at Jacksonville State and now at UAB, and John Grass at Jax State. Less than 10 years ago, the threesome battled for Alabama high school supremacy, and they're now chasing college championships and bowl berths.
Also, about a decade ago, Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss were innovative high-school coaches with big dreams and bursting trophy cases. Now, they're two of the hottest college coaches in the country, both ranked in the top five.
Troy is in the market for new football coaching search, after Trojans legend Larry Blakeney announced earlier this week that he'll retire at the end of the 2014 season, his 24th at the school.
Given recent trends, Troy AD John Hartwell may strongly consider what many may still believe to be an audacious move: hiring a high-school coach.
Who should be among the names at the top of his list?
Here are five Alabama high-school coaches who've shown they're capable of successfully making the jump to Troy:
Josh Niblett, Hoover: His resume includes four state titles (three at Hoover and one at Oneonta), and more than 150 wins in 15 seasons. The former Alabama player is also savvy regarding of TV contracts and shoe deals, so it's unlikely that he'll be overwhelmed by any business-related aspects of college coaching.
Mark Freeman, Spanish Fort: He won four AISA titles at Bessemer Academy and captured the two AHSAA Class 5A state titles at Spanish Fort. His spread offense seems perfect for the college game, and he has 160-plus wins in 16 seasons. Yep, he wins and wins big.
Full Article: www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/10/5_alabama_high-school_football.html
Remember when people scoffed at the notion that a high-school coach could flourish at the collegiate level?
Then, along came Joey Jones at South Alabama, Bill Clark at Jacksonville State and now at UAB, and John Grass at Jax State. Less than 10 years ago, the threesome battled for Alabama high school supremacy, and they're now chasing college championships and bowl berths.
Also, about a decade ago, Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss were innovative high-school coaches with big dreams and bursting trophy cases. Now, they're two of the hottest college coaches in the country, both ranked in the top five.
Troy is in the market for new football coaching search, after Trojans legend Larry Blakeney announced earlier this week that he'll retire at the end of the 2014 season, his 24th at the school.
Given recent trends, Troy AD John Hartwell may strongly consider what many may still believe to be an audacious move: hiring a high-school coach.
Who should be among the names at the top of his list?
Here are five Alabama high-school coaches who've shown they're capable of successfully making the jump to Troy:
Josh Niblett, Hoover: His resume includes four state titles (three at Hoover and one at Oneonta), and more than 150 wins in 15 seasons. The former Alabama player is also savvy regarding of TV contracts and shoe deals, so it's unlikely that he'll be overwhelmed by any business-related aspects of college coaching.
Mark Freeman, Spanish Fort: He won four AISA titles at Bessemer Academy and captured the two AHSAA Class 5A state titles at Spanish Fort. His spread offense seems perfect for the college game, and he has 160-plus wins in 16 seasons. Yep, he wins and wins big.
Full Article: www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/10/5_alabama_high-school_football.html