News

We now have 836 teams &  
192,249 games on AHSFHS.org.





Search Site

AHSFHS Article Series


   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.





Coaching - Playoff Wins

    
(Updated 12/20/2024)

          Trivia time - What three coaches never lost a playoff game during their career? If you know the answer to this question you are truly a high school football fan. Second trivia question - This one is easier and many fans can correctly guess the answer in a few tries. Which coach has won the most playoff games?

          The correct answer to the first question would be Bobby Wilson with Sidney Lanier, Doug Lockridge with Valley and Ken McWilliams at UMS Prep. Coach Wilson and the Poets played in the first three state championship games from 1966-68 winning all three title games and a total of six playoff games along the way.

          He retired following the 1968 season with a 12 year coaching record of 92-24-6 and the three state championships.

Bobby Wilson
          Doug Lockridge is a member of the AHSAA Hall of Fame having coached at Valley from 1950 until his retirement following the 1980 season. His 1980 version of the Valley Rams ran the table in the playoffs winning all three games and the 3A state title by defeating Sylacauga 23-16 in the championship game.

          It proved to be the only time during his coaching career the Rams qualified for the football playoffs.

          Ken McWilliams was the head football coach at Independent Methodist and UMS Prep in Mobile. He led the 1987 UMS Bulldogs to a perfect record and the Class 3A state championship. McWilliams only coached the Bulldogs in 1986-87 going from a 5-5 record to a 15-0 slate.

          Coach Danny Powell led Leroy to four state championships in five seasons at the school from 2006-08 before moving up the road to Jackson in 2009. In his first season with the Aggies his team won another state title with a perfect 15-0 season.

          The coach with the most playoff wins is Terry Curtis with an overall playoff record of 84-24 at Shaw, Murphy and UMS-Wright. After arriving at UMS-Wright prior to the 1999 season his Bulldogs qualified for the playoffs in every season.


Playoff Winning Percentage (at least 10 playoff games through 2024)  
Coach Teams Games Won Lost Pct.  
Bob Newton Homewood 38 34 4 89.5%  
Kirk Johnson Catholic Montgomery 18 16 2 88.9%  
Dr. Eric Cohu Madison Academy 29 25 4 86.2%
Rush Propst Ashville, Eufaula, Alma Bryant, Hoover 50 42 8 84.0%  
Mark Freeman Bessemer Ac., Gulf Shores, Spanish Fort, Thompson 73 61 12 83.6%  
             
Darrell Higgins Mars Hill 29 24 5 82.8%
Bobby Carr Edgewood Academy, Autauga Academy, Carver, Prattville 55  45 10 81.8%  
Jimmie Moore Colbert County 33 27 6 81.8%  
Bill Rayburn Sylacauga, Guntersville, Marion County 11 9 2 81.8%  
Josh Niblett Hoover, Oxford, Oneonta 74 60 14 81.1%  
             
Drew Gilmer Clay-Chalkville 25 20 5 80.0%  
Bryant Vincent Spanish Fort, Greenville 15 12 3 80.0%  
Ronnie Jackson Ramsay 15 12 3 80.0%  
Bill Clark Prattville 29 23 6 79.3%  
Shane Moye Lowndes Academy, Prattville Christian 14  11 3 78.6%  
         
Danny Powell Leroy, Jackson 55 43 12 78.2%  
Stacy Luker Demopolis, Sweet Water, Thomasville, Clarke Co. 72 56 16 77.8%  
Rickey Johnson Hazlewood 49 38 11 77.6%  
Ben Harris Blount 40 31 9 77.5%  
Jackie Ferguson West Morgan, Brooks, Hazlewood, Athens, Colbert County 31 24 7 77.4%  
             
Terry Curtis Murphy, Shaw, UMS-Wright 109  84 25 77.1%  
Don Sharpe Andalusia 17 13 3 76.5%  
Patrick Nix Scottsboro, Pinson Valley, Central Phenix City 38 29 9 76.3%  
Danny Horn Clay County, Benjamin Russell, Central Clay County 102 77 25 75.5%  



Playoff Games Won  (through 2024)  
Coach Teams Games Won Lost Pct.  
Terry Curtis Shaw, Murphy, UMS-Wright 109 84 24 77.1%  
Danny Horn Clay County, Benjamin Russell, Central Clay County 102 77 25 75.5%  
Jamie Riggs Opp, T.R. Miller, Houston Academy 94 69 25 73.4%  
Paul Benefield Sylvania, Fyffe 91 70 24 74.5%  
Steve Smith Cedar Bluff, Piedmont 84 62 22 73.8%  
             
Mark Freeman Bessemer Ac., Gulf Shores, Spanish Fort, Thompson 73 61 12 83.6%  
Josh Niblett Oneonta, Oxford, Hoover 74 60 14 81.1%  
Fred Yancey Briarwood 83 59 24 71.1%  
Stacy Luker Demopolis, Sweet Water, Clarke County 72 53 16 77.8%  
Wayne Grant Crenshaw, Pike Co., Talladega, Lowndes 71 53 18 74.6%  
             
Jackie O'Neal Reeltown 73 50 23 68.5%  
John Mothershed Deshler 66 49 17 74.2%  
Buddy Anderson Vestavia Hills 76 47 29 61.8%  
Spence McCracken Montgomery Academy, Lee Montgomery, Opelika 70 47 23 67.1%  
Brent Hubbert Jemison, Maplesville, T.R. Miller 67 47 20 70.1%  
             
Keith Etheredge Leeds, Pell City, Auburn 63 47 16 74.6%  
Robby James Catherine Ac., Morgan Ac., Faith Ac., Marengo Ac. 65 46 19 70.8%  
Louis White Courtland 59 45 14 76.3%  
Bobby Carr Edgewood Academy, Autauga Academy 55  45 10 81.8%  
             

 



David Parker
  AHSFHS.org
  dparker@ahsfhs.org






Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Collinsville completed the 1931 season with a record of 1-4-5. The five ties will forever be a state record since all games are now decided by overtime.