Coaching turnover is a constant across Alabama high school football. For some programs, a new face on the sideline can mean a reset, or even a resurgence. With several Tuscaloosa-area head coaches stepping into their second or third seasons, now is a natural checkpoint to evaluate who has made the biggest impact since taking over.
To build these rankings, The Tuscaloosa News reviewed each program’s records under its current coach, compared them with the three seasons before their arrival and factored in region performance, playoff appearances and scoring trends. The results aren’t measured in just wins and losses, rather they’re weighed on how much a coach has shifted the trajectory of the program.
From established contenders to programs still finding their way back, here are the top five “new-ish” head coaches in the Tuscaloosa area so far.
Sulligent sits at the top of the rankings after back-to-back nine-win seasons and a semifinal playoff run in 2024. The program has thrived since Brian Gunnels took over in 2023, making consecutive deep playoff pushes and establishing itself as a perennial contender in the 2A slate. Gunnels’ squads have averaged more than 400 points in each of the past two years while holding their own against region rivals like Tuscaloosa Academy, Aliceville and Lamar County.
Before Gunnels, the Blue Devils had mixed results under former coach Daniel Merchant. Early results in 2025, a 2-1 record with a region win already secured, suggest the momentum is still rolling.
Central has taken a clear step forward under third-year coach DeMario Pippen. Since 2023, the Falcons are 13-10 overall and 6-8 in Region 4, averaging 29.9 points and allowing 22.5 per game. That’s a sharp turn from the 2020-22 baseline under Rodney Bivens Jr., when Central went 8-22 with a 6-13 region mark during that three-year margin.
The postseason breakthrough hasn’t come yet, but the trajectory appears in the right direction.
Aliceville is still trying to regain its footing under second-year coach Anthony Sawyer. The Yellow Jackets were a consistent playoff team under former coach Grady Griffin, even winning a region title in 2022. Sawyer’s first season didn’t quite reach that standard, finishing 5-6 with a first-round playoff exit, but Aliceville showed flashes, including a pair of close region wins.
This fall has already offered signs of growth. The Yellow Jackets opened 2025 with a blowout victory over Pickens County and nearly knocked off Tuscaloosa Academy the following week. If that trajectory continues, Sawyer could have Aliceville trending back toward the contender status the program held just a few years ago.
Holt has been in rebuild mode since Brian Newton took over in 2023. He inherited a program that went winless in 2022, and while the Ironmen are still fighting to make a statement in 4A, there are signs of progress. Holt went from one win in Newton’s first season to four victories in 2024, the program’s best mark since 2005.
This season has started with more promise, as Holt opened 2–1 through its first three games. If the upward trend continues, Newton could steer Holt back toward success after a tough stretch earlier this decade.
Greene County has been up and down since Cory Cockrell took over in 2023. His first team won just twice and went winless in region play, but the Tigers bounced back the following year with a 6–4 record, their best finish since 2011.
This fall has been shakier, with Greene County dropping two of its first three games and struggling to keep opponents out of the end zone. Still, the 2024 turnaround stands out compared with the inconsistent years that came before Cockrell.
Amelia Hurley covers high school sports and Alabama softball for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached through DM on X at ameliahurley_ or via email at ahurley@gannett.com.
Deep Dive: Ranking the top new Tuscaloosa-area high school football coaches – The Tuscaloosa News
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