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And, yes, I went on to write about him. I've got utmost confidence in everybody here and the people that we are going to have here. With three five-stars prospects and a four-star, Thompson has put together a defense that is nearly impenetrable. Near Birmingham, Gardendales Kelby Collins is No. MOODY Thompson High School co-defensive coordinator Jake Ganus was introduced as the new coach for the Moody Blue Devils on Friday, December 17. Whatever that it is and wherever it takes him. That's the predominately Birmingham-based region in the Alabama High School Athletic Association's largest playing classification. "dfpConfig": { Coach Freeman and Thompson football have had a lot of positive impact. We try to ignore that, but at the same time, it kind of motivates us. "I think every team wants to win. You know Peter is going to be back there somewhere. Shade thought Harsin did a good job communicating through his assistants, especially Etheridge. What happened to your work ethic? Thompson recalled her asking. Shes real aggressive sometimes, but I love her. No, we got a great person, Vickers said. There he won consecutive state championships in 2012 and 2013. For 2023, the only states with more top-100 recruits are Florida and Texas. He won 15 of his 17 playoff games with the Toros. History of High School Football in Alabama Coaches Project 2023 Head Coach changes New Topic Reply to Topic Printer Friendly: Previous Page: Author: Topic : Page: of 4: vvala45 New Forum Member. He's also not letting ALS take away his ability to coach, even if he's had to rely on . Jaiden Thompson (3) busts a move to get to the basket. ALABASTER, Ala. In one sense, this is hardly the kind of town that comes to mind when you think of nationally relevant high school football programs. 6 recruits in the states 2023 class attend Carver: defensive lineman James Smith and edge Jaquavious Russaw. The Bessemer Academy and Alabama graduate has coached 16 seasons of high school football in Alabama and his teams have played for the state championship in eight of those. They have reached the Class 7A State Championship Game each of the past four years and have captured three consecutive years. Thompson coach Mark Freeman sent Hardy, who had missed an extra point in the first quarter, back on the field for a game-winning 35-yard goal try with four seconds remaining. Thomson's stats have been entered for the 56-38 win @ South Atlanta on 11/25/2022 6:00 PM. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Thompson was a critical reason the Vikings went unbeaten in the South Piedmont 3A Conference for the third year in a row. Taylor High School. How can we make Moody more successful. The Toros defeated McAdory to claim their second state championship in three years with a 14-1 record. Matt Jackson High School Teacher/ Head Men's Basketball & Cross Country Coach. TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Re-signed The San Jose Earthquakes have re-signed homegrown defender Tommy Thompson through the 2023 MLS season with an option for 2024, the club announced Tuesday. I can do this my way and actually go to a good college like Wendell did. Its allowed five points per game, and 24 of those came in the regular-season finale a loss to nearby power Hoover. Its almost a collective awe that funnels out when his teammates describe Woods. That's what Freeman's glowing resume is expected to bring. I have a great team, a great family, and we could actually win this whole thing.. Several high school coachessaid college coaches often don't do a sufficient job preparing players for the grind during recruitment, which leads to athletes being blindsided and more likely to leave. As does Thompson now. ", Before Wade Waldrop became Hoovers coach recently, he coached five-star cornerback Jahlil Hurley at Florence. Thompson Warrior: Sloth Nationzz AHSFHS Master Researcher. The Crimson Tide, who have the No. Job Summary. Not yet 6 feet, Thompson proved he belonged with the big boys, the varsity. Baker said a player of Thompsons level likely wouldve already been scooped up in the past. AL.com requested salaries from all coaches in the Metro Birmingham area this past spring. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Youll find exponentially more 4X4 pickup trucks than Mercedes-Benz. Thompson High School in Birmingham is one of the perennial prep football powers in Alabama. I can catch the ball, and if I catch it, Ill probably score. Jaiden Thompson looks to make a pass during his freshman season. 56-38 (W) Thomson @ South Atlanta. Contact Us. What I like to see is you actually show up, Rigby said. The only problem was that a number of coaches at prominent football schools have not met him. Main Number 331-228-3100 . (Jeff Sentell/jsentell@al.com). The 27 . In a way, I was kind of alarmed. 2 in Alabama) and defensive lineman Peter Woods (No. Then theres Mitchell, a five-star 2023 recruit whos No. One part of the team that will be missing is a starting quarterback, as A.J. With one of the states largest high school athletic programs at the Class 7A level, Hester said it would be beneficial for the school in many ways. The others welcomed him because he could play and was a great teammate. So I just feel like when we let someone score, its bad.. 4) are both top-25 prospects in the country. The quintet started for the C.C. There have been a ton of (recruiters) whove seen him. That season,. On 11/25, the Thomson varsity football team won their away playoff game against South Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) by a score of 56-38. Fegans is among Alabamas latest commitments, going public last month after decommitting from Miami. In 2011, he became the head football coach at Spanish Fort High School. Theyre not practicing the way we want them to practice. University of Northern Colorado . Job Summary. Ganus was part of a Thompson coaching staff that has won three straight 7A state championships from 2019-2021. Prior to taking the job at Spanish Fort, Freeman went 13-9 in two seasons at Gulf Shores and took the Dolphins to the playoffs in the first season. Its kind of like a letdown, you know, because everybody has all these big expectations. Bowie Football Coaching Staff. Sophomore year, I knew I was pretty good, but I had a bad habit of comparing myself to other people, Thompson said. He backed off that pledge seven months later and decommitted. Those hirings mean the two highest-paid high school football coaches in Alabama compete in the same region. The 2023 class is even better, led by two five-stars: Cornerback Tony Mitchell (No. That's very likely to change, but that's where things stand today. We also add a fantastic teacher to our school building. So how did this high school team, about 66 miles from the University of Alabama campus in a town with a population of less than 35,000, rise of out of near obscurity to become one of the best high school football programs in the country and a burgeoning pipeline for the Crimson Tide? It's the second time during the three-peat that Thompson has defeated the Red Devils (13-1) in the championship game. Tommy Thompson was born in Hutchinson, KS. (Photo of Jeremiah Alexander: Michael Wade / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). Freeman, an Alabama graduate, attended Bessemer Academy and has maintained a home in the McCalla area. Football. That winter also is when I personally started to make my first close observations of Thompsons abilities. During his time with the Eagles, he helped the baseball program reach the quarterfinals of the playoffs in 2018 and then started to turn the football program around the previous two seasons in the 6A classification. Going into Saturdays Class 3A state semifinal game against West Charlotte, he was averaging team bests of 19.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 steals for the Vikings, the 23rd-ranked team in the nation. Wyoming Cowboys 2023 football schedule released. When the recruiting contact period started last fall, Harsin was the first college coach to bring his full recruiting staff to the school. Freeman's hiring meant an increase of almost $50,000 per year in what Thompson had . "I know I am saying blessed a lot, but what a day. Team 8-4 - Language Arts, AVID. Email Steven Hoffmann. Hoover has faced it plenty over the years. How many games did Tommy Thompson play? He also coached softball, powerlifting, girls and boys basketball. That followed time at Montevallo where he also served as the head baseball coach and athletic director for the Bulldogs. Freeman landed his first head football coaching job at Bessemer Academy in 1998. The season before he arrived, the Warriors finished with an 0-10 record, missing the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. Thompson Football Staff Players (118) Staff (3) Help the team get started! That discrepancy was at the center of Auburn's recent turmoil. I kind of fell out of love with the game, Thompson admits as he sits in Central Cabarrus empty auxiliary gym earlier this year. When Etheridge visited in January, it was the first and only time we have communicated with Auburn. Vigor has two rising talents: junior defensive end Michael Towner and freshman offensive lineman Micha Debose. I know that theres a freshman that plays quarterback, and at the end of the day when I was a quarterback at Chelsea, I was not a quarterback I was just one of the best athletes on the team who could throw the ball OK. Thats something well look at as well. Congratulations to Jahkiaus Jones, Jaquan Hart, Jordan Jones and Jontavis Curry for being selected the Thomson players of the game. WVUA 23 is a competitive professional commercial television, Paul Bryant's McKanstry signs with Independence CC football, Gordo High School celebrates 2023 signing class, Former Hillcrest standout Brandon Bishop announces transfer to Liberty, Paul Bryant football introduces new head coach, Tuesday afternoon crash victim identified, Soldier, poet, or king? A number of coaches were baffled that they haven't interacted with Auburn's head coach. Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson, ranked as the nation's No. That discrepancy was at the center of Auburn's recent turmoil. But in the fall, while it was hard for people who only knew Thompson as the top-notch ballplayer and smart, all-around good guy to tell the difference when he was on the court, one visitor to a Central preseason game could easily notice: his grandma, Phyllis Ann Faulkner. DS David Simone Team 8-3 - Language Arts. But its worked out really great.. No passion missing; it burns like hot fish grease in Thompson, and his coach loves the way he is. The Alabaster City Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in any of its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. To borrow some real estate phrasing its seems that the ultimate in "curb appeal" for a high school and its community is to have a high-profile head football coach that commands a top salary. I think hed still be sitting there talking if I didnt have to get up and go work my kids out, Higgins said. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). In the first game of his junior year, Thompsons spirit got some much-needed jumper cables in the form of a game in which he scored 23 points in just three quarters of action. That tough style of play, a hard-nosed defensive mindset, has an aligning charm with the city of Alabaster. New Auburn defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh has already been around at Highland Home, where defensive end Keldric Faulk is a top-100 recruit who attended Auburns recent junior day. Now, hell join ACS and Thompson High School in an athletic administrative role alongside athletic director Vincent Pitts and others in the department, while also continuing his role as a special education teacher. In the four years before Thompson and Bullock got to campus, the Vikings won a total of 33 games. His seven year record in baseball was 116-70, with two Final 4 appearances. I look forward to things to come. Theres no tearing stuff down. Harsins future was under the microscope in February during an internal investigationinvolving his treatment of players and staff. Jaiden Thompson takes flight last week against Shelby Crest. After that, everything just clicked. And while some schools showed interest in him taking his talents there, the recruiting slowed down, no matter how much he was thrashing his competition on a team that was one of the best around. BRYAN HARSIN:'The first one changes you': Coaches recall their debuts in the Iron Bowl, a game that determines longevity, AUBURN BASKETBALL:I tried to score over college basketball's greatest shot blocker, Walker Kessler | Durando, Montgomery Catholic Prep is another school with consistent talent. Knowledge of sport. Freeman had a tremendous run in the private school ranks in Alabama Independent School Association football at Bessemer Academy before he moved to Alabama High School Athletic Association public football. I can work as good as anybody, Freeman said. Join us in the forums to submit corrections and new information. With his wife already a little miffed at him from moving away from Gulf Shores, Freeman didnt have any thoughts of leaving Spanish Fort for another high school job. It went out and hired one of the best coaches in the state and dedicated resources to support the football team. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. He was later released and eventually joined the Thompson coaching staff, coaching linebackers. Im just trying to go MY way. But by the fall of his senior season, there he was in that preseason game, with his grandma staring from the bleachers, disappointed but mostly concerned. Katy ISD. Being able to keep that promise for my grandma? Try a week on us. Wendell stayed at public school, he stayed grounded, he stayed with Cox Mill for four years. It was late January, and Harsin and receivers coach Eric Kiesau were visiting Mars Hill Bible School in Florence. Its home for me. He coached for 10 seasons at Bessemer Academy, winning AISA titles in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007. That both programs are in the Birmingham metro area is a feather in the cap for the Crimson Tide football program, which is just a short ride away. Thats what I actually LOVE about this team. Thompsons Jake Ganus hired as Moody football coach, Two individuals sentenced for kidnapping 3-year-old Kamille Cupcake McKinney, resulting in her death, Inmate of City of Birmingham Jail pronounced dead, found by fellow inmate, Finalists for Trussville BOE seat announced, Pinson council presents $60,000 check to schools, Springville softball blow out Pelham, continue dominant season, Obituary: Myra Carroll (August 22, 1937 February 23, 2023), Obituary: Sherry Webster Zorn (August 21, 1948 February 22, 2023), Trussville teen uses platform to build beds for children in need. Hey, it comes with the gig. resigned from his position after four very successful years, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 7 recruits played at Thompson. After 90 minutes of talking football, Darrell Higgins couldnt believe Harsin was still in his office. He was good. . Those totals did not include any monies received from head football coaches for their football camps. Weve been talking about that for so long. This family, after all, has a close bond. Football Coach jobs Tennis Coach jobs Camp Director jobs Head Football Coach jobs . If you told me, You cant do this. Then Im going to go in and do my best, Freeman said. Jesuit High School football is off to a good start this fall, with three wins in three games. Both are top-40 nationally. 258 Following. His girls basketball team made the playoffs from 2006-08, and his boys basketball team was state champion in 2008 and made the play-offs seven seasons. The most accomplished high school football coach in Southeast Texas is calling it a career. Please try a new search. That potential was something he took with him to Calera as a baseball coach, athletic director and football coach. I dont know if Ive ever raised my voice at Jaiden, Baker said. This was what hed wanted for most of his basketball life: to don that Green and Gold. He was THAT good. He went 13-9 during two seasons at Gulf Shores and led the Dolphins to the second round of the playoffs in 2009. Things started off good for him the summer before his freshman year at Central. MOODY Thompson High School co-defensive coordinator Jake Ganus was introduced as the new coach for the Moody Blue Devils on Friday, December 17. When we are able to win and we want to win, then we are going to win.". One night, after the Vikings played in the holiday tournament at Mount Pleasant, I was walking to my car to head off and write my story. 2022 Georgia High School Football Playoff Brackets: GHSA Class 2A. The Tigers did not add anybody to their 2022 class on National Signing Day earlier this month. Im not a fan of anybody, but I just respected him coming in and talking about getting the culture right, Gardner said. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Itll be an RPO, air-raid type system so we do need somebody that can spit the ball out and thats something well have to find in the program or in the hallways.. us to complete every school. Even still, Thompson didnt seem like a place to win big. Thompson played one year of college soccer at Indiana University where he scored five goals and one assist in 12 matches and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2013, before signing a Homegrown Player contract with San Jose Earthquakes on March 14, 2014.. Thompson made his professional debut on June 7, 2014 as an 89th-minute substitute in a 0-1 loss to Toronto FC. 1 recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Later, the same call was made on Bullock. "I grew up right down the road from Alabaster," Freeman said. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Floyd was approved to receive $120,000 per year in annual compensation. Success is here.". It was as long as any college coach had stayed to chat. Thatd be like a tear-jerker moment. And Updates from all around. Hey, what are your thoughts on this player? That type of concentrated talent may be just another season at a program like IMG Academy, but its not common at a public school like Thompson, which produced a total of one four- or five-star recruit in the past decade current Alabama offensive lineman Amari Kight, a four-star recruit in 2019. You can cancel at any time. Thompson was approved as Spring Grove's new coach Monday night. He has an offer right now, but he doesnt have that ONE. Shade, a former Alabama player, enjoyed his conversations with Harsin and thought Harsin was a good Auburn ambassador. That facility will also come with a new football stadium. So if everybody took two players at the Apps and East Carolinas and Wilmingtons and all that, a lot of kids get to go play. I think Auburn has to make a decision: Do you want to continue to battle Georgia and Bama guys in recruiting, or do they want to just go find really good high school players and build their name off that? Here's an updated ranking of how Class 7A, Region 3's salary structure adds up: The salary data isn't everything. Tommy Thompson has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. The great thing is that Thompson has found peace in it all. Tommy Thompson weighed 192 lbs (87 kg) when playing. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The Alabaster City Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in any of its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. AUBURN The message was inspirational to the kid and an aphorism for Auburn football coach Bryan Harsin, summing up his underdog recruiting mentality. But it wasnt an, Absolutely, yeah, Ill do it. But then I started thinking about it. Its a hotly contested game that draws huge crowds, benefitting both programs. I was always that guy growing up that you could negative motivate me.