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

2024 Team Previews




Huntsville Panthers
Head Coach: Jimmy Gay (first season) Career Record: 8 seasons, (60-36) At Huntsville: First season Stadium: Milton Frank Stadium 2024 Enrollment: 1,374 Rank: 16th in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 7A

History

Overall Record: 554-471-33 (54.0%)
Last 25 years: 129-141 (48.0%) (Rank: 189th in the AHSAA, 21st in Class 7A)
Since 2010: 63-85 (42.6%) (Rank: 256th in the AHSAA, 22nd in Class 7A)
Last Playoff Appearance: 2022
Last Region Championship: 2008
Last Winning Season: 2023
Last Losing Season: 2021

2023

Class: 7A Region: 4
Record: 5-5
Region Record: 3-4, (sixth)
Playoff Record: Did not qualify.
Final ASWA Poll: Not Ranked
Scoring: 333 (33.3)
Defense: 277 (27.7)

2024

Class: 7A              Region: 4
Strength of Schedule: 41-64 (39%) (371st in the AHSAA, 32nd in Class 7A)
Region Strength:  33-41 (45%)
Non-Region Strength:  8-23 (26%)

2023 Results

8/25	OPEN
9/1	@ Oxford (6A)	6-35	L
9/8	vs. Grissom (7A) *	36-0	W
9/15	@ James Clemens (7A) *	31-45	L
9/22	vs. Bob Jones (7A) *	35-49	L
9/28	@ Mae Jemison (6A)	53-25	W
10/5	vs. Albertville (7A) *	36-7	W
10/13	vs. Florence (7A) *	20-23	L (2OT)
10/20	@ Sparkman (7A) *	35-28	W (2OT)
10/27	vs. Austin (7A) *	25-52	L
11/2	vs. Hazel Green (6A)	56-13	W

2024 Schedule

8/23	@ Hazel Green (6A)
8/30	vs. Mae Jemison (6A)
9/6	vs. Grissom (7A) *
9/13	@ James Clemens (7A) *
9/20	vs. Sparkman (7A) *
9/27	OPEN
10/4	@ Austin (7A) *
10/11	vs. Albertville (7A) *
10/18	@ Florence (7A) *
10/25	@ Bob Jones (7A) *
11/1	vs. Lee Huntsville (6A)

Class 7A Region 4
Team	2023 Record	Region	Scoring
James Clemens (7A)	7-4	6-1	313-257
Austin (7A)	8-3	5-2	377-180
Bob Jones (7A)	5-6	5-2	300-352
Florence (7A)	6-5	5-2	200-183
Sparkman (7A)	5-5	3-4	321-199
Huntsville (7A)	5-5	3-4	333-277
Grissom (7A)	2-8	1-6	111-301
Albertville (7A)	0-10	0-7	91-439

2024 Preview

       Huntsville completed the 2023 season with a 5-5 record. Last year Huntsville finished sixth in Class 7A region four with a 3-4 region record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

       Since 2010, Huntsville has gone a combined 63-85. Their 42.6% winning percentage ranks 22nd in Class 7A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Huntsville has managed to compile a record of 129-141. Their 48.0% winning percentage ranks 21st in Class 7A and 189th in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Huntsville lost 7A All-State quarterback Jacks McClung to graduation. He was named to the honorable mention team last season. Also graduating was teammate punter Sims Bowman.

Coaching Change:
     Mark Fleetwood in seven seasons at Huntsville led the Panthers to a 30-42 record and two playoff appearances. Several of the teams showed promise as the season began but none were able to post a playoff victory during his tenure at Huntsville. So the Panthers will be searching for just the sixth head coach since the 1984 football season this year.

2024 Head Coach:
    Jimmy Gay spent the past five seasons as the offensive line coach at Muscle Shoals before accepting the head coaching job at Huntsville in January. He was the head coach at Parrish for two season where his 2003 team won the Class 1A state championship. Gay also served as the head coach at his alma mater Cordova for six seasons between 2013-2018.

His overall record as a head coach stands at 60-36 in eight seasons at the two schools. Over the course of his career, Coach Gay's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of six times and won two region championships. Coach Gay won a state championship at Parrish in 2003.

Season Outlook:

       The Huntsville Panthers will play in Class 7A region four during the 2024 season.



       The loss of Jacks McClung at QB to graduation will be difficult to replace for the Panthers.

    The Panthers could find themselves challenging for one of the playoff spots for region four this season with a few breaks and a little improvement. Huntsville came up short of the playoffs last year but are optimistic of a return to the post season this year.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      Marlin Jones returns at RB after rushing for 726 yards and 12 TDs as a junior last season.

      On defense Dylan Duster will be back after collecting 81 tackles (50 solo) from his MLB position last season. TJ Cole is coming back after collecting 77 tackles from his DE position in 2023.

Returning Starters:
LB Dylan Duster, OLB Ladarius Jemes, DB Ben Watson, FS Will Phillips, OL Michael Price

Season Opener:
       The Panthers open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Hazel Green on Friday, August 23 at Bob Grimwood Stadium. Last year the Hazel Green Trojans finished with an overall record of 0-10 and in sixth place in Class 6A region eight. The Trojans closed out the regular season with a loss to Huntsville by a score of 56-13.

       Huntsville and Hazel Green have met a total of 19 times on the football field. The Panthers have a 14-5-0 record against the Trojans. They last met in 2023 with Huntsville winning by a score of 56-13.

Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Foley outscored their opponents 433-6 in 1961. The Lions were named state champions by the Alabama Sports Writers Association that season.