YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. But later, Western Carolina pulled back its offer because of a coaching change. I believe all the state schools beside (Alabama) and Tuskegee University can do a better job with in-state recruiting. That tough style of play, a hard-nosed defensive mindset, has an aligning charm with the city of Alabaster. "We are going to make Friday night special," Freeman said. Watch this highlight video of the Thomson (GA) football team in its game Recap: Thomson vs. Westside 2022 on Nov 3, 2022. Salary: Tony Gaines Show More Show Less 5 of 93. That didnt take away that occasional feeling that comes with a lost love, though, or one you feel is slipping away. Some names on that C.C. Its very much a blue-collar, working-class community. The meeting was adjourned quickly and the head coach was brought in to welcome him into the chamber. He has his second chance, but his recruiting remains an urgent issue. We have chosen to publish this information in hopes our visitors will participate in assisting us to complete every school. Tweets & replies. How do you go from that 6-4 year and what ways can I get our kids over that hump. And thats OK. Be your own program and stop missing out on really good Alabama kids because Alabama didn't offer them.. Freeman also served one year as an assistant at Minor for the 2008 season. Thompson took another step forward in 2018, advancing to the Class 7A State Championship Game. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He also served as the Athletic Director at Bessemer Academy. But by last fall, basketball was anything but that for Thompson. But as his senior season dawned, it just wasnt there anymore, that passion. His father, Fred, is a legendary figure in Utah high school athletics, having coached at Roy High School for 19 years, followed by a six-year stint at Fremont. In the 2022 class, the state's No. It gives a kid a lot of fire.. 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. The Tigers' first 2023 commit is also from Auburn High: four-star offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner. Harsins first signing class was Auburns lowest-ranked (No. Katy ISD. He has not met Harsin. Theyve already landed two blue-chip recruits from Thompson in the 2022 class, and they have eyes on two more in 2023. "Most of the kids growing up here, most of them aspire to play for Auburn; it's their hometown,"Etheredge said. Head coach Lee Gibson makes a little less than half of what Floyd and Freeman do even when all of his teacher salary and supplement stipends are added up. Everybody just clicks together, Thompson explained. The additions come as KFC recently removed some menu items, including wings, popcorn chicken and cookies, to make room for new additions. Whether or not thats a serious concern varies depending on the coach. But he knew it. "prerollTemplate":"https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x480&iu=/132916964,95765933/wvua23.com/football-friday&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&vpos=preroll&unviewed_position_start=1&correlator=1677958717&cust_params=category=Football%20Friday%2CHigh%20School%20Sports%2CSports&video_position=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvua23.com%2Foutside-the-huddle-thompson-high-school-head-coach-mark-freeman%2F&post=189033" Harsin's message on the recruiting trail has been firm:Auburn wants a specific type of player who is ready to love football and meet his demanding standards. The fact that neither Vestavia Hills coach Buddy Anderson are among the three highest-paid coaches in their own region is surprising. 5 high school football team via SB Live, was to put its undefeated record on the line against another Birmingham-area program known for. The school board meeting to welcome Freeman has swelled to near capacity some 15 minutes before the board meeting. Higgins said Harsins message was an eye-opening experience for Mars Hill players about the rigors of college football: He was very adamant on: This is going to take some time. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. But that foundation is there. Central Cabarrus coach Jim Baker poses for a photo with his four seniors: Gavin Bullock (30) Micah Murray (33) Adriel Miller (14) Elijah Ford (22) and Jaiden Thompson (3). So I just feel like when we let someone score, its bad.. Whenever the grammar-school-aged Thompson was feeling overwhelmed, it was as if he could click the heels of his Air Jordans together, chant Theres no place like home, and be transported to anywhere a rim hung. Auburn president Jay Gogue announced Feb. 11 that Harsin will remain the coach in 2022. Hes ranked No. The Thompson-Hoover rivalry has become one of the best in the state. The 2019 season began a streak of three consecutive state football championships for Thompson High School. Calera High School is searching for a new football coach after former head coach Trey Simpson recently joined Alabaster City Schools and Thompson High School. Football Coach jobs Tennis Coach jobs Camp Director jobs Head Football Coach jobs . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. So if you can do it at that level, you can do it at an SEC level.. Success is here.". Buildings are filling up. Weve been talking about that for so long. His four teams at Spanish Fort finished a combined 50-7. All those clichs about the best player on the team being the hardest worker on the team, yada, yada, yada? Out of all of the public high school football coaches, Joseph is the highest-paid. Jaiden Thompson takes flight last week against Shelby Crest. Im going to make you a promise. I made my grandma a promise that I was going to do whatever it takes to get what I needed. 3) is the one you need to watch! Records reflect scores in our database. Its very much a work-hard-for-what-you-get community. You dont work out anymore.. Im a finesse cornerback even though I can hit, Fegans said. But this transfer portal has really hurt a kid like Jaiden because the decision for these college coaches is, Do I take a high school kid, or do I wait and see if I can find somebody in the portal that may have played at a little bit lower level but the kid is averaging seven points and four rebounds and has a year of experience under him? This whole portal thing, I think, has hurt the true high school kid.. While Ganus went undrafted in 2016, he signed a free agent deal with the NFLs Minnesota Vikings in 2016. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Todd Maulden/Special to the Independent Tribune, Friday Five: New barbecue restaurant, apartment dwellers and updates, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: After leaving his mark at storied A.L. The quintet started. Lets just say that over the years, my writings have agitated some. Its almost a collective awe that funnels out when his teammates describe Woods. If were being honest, its going to be hard to get multiple kids against Georgia or Alabama, Johnson said. Despite its relatively new facilities a new high school opened in 2018 at 360,000 square feet at a cost of $88 million one wouldnt describe Alabaster as fancy. 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. Higgins was struck by a new coach trying to learn and improve while maintaining his recruiting principles. How tall was Tommy Thompson? As does Thompson now. In the 2022 class, the state's No. The TV & Film Academy is also the home of THS TV, Thompson High School's student-run newscast. AUBURN The message was inspirational to the kid and an aphorism for Auburn football coach Bryan Harsin, summing up his underdog recruiting mentality. Visit our website for info. What I like to see is you actually show up, Rigby said. But everybody is just on hold with a lot of these very good high school players. I was like, Yeah, I can really do this, if I put my mind to it, Thompson recalled. OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) - Erik Thompson was born to be a football coach. Thompson has won back-to-back state championships in the states highest classification and is a prime contender for another this season. One said Harsin's continued absence is "just insane to me." I played a lot, but there were politics and a lot of cliques going around the program, so it kind of broke my spirit a little bit. How can we make Moody more successful. Freeman landed his first head football coaching job at Bessemer Academy in 1998. Eason was also frequently praised for his recruiting. Hoover also puts out quality Division I players. It was as long as any college coach had stayed to chat. These coaches have done a great job of laying that foundation. News Sports Hookem.com Austin360 Opinion USA TODAY Obituaries . The 2023 class is even better, led by two five-stars: Cornerback Tony Mitchell (No. It's a recurring theme: Seven of the 14 coaches who spoke with the Advertiser hadnot met Harsin. He stepped down at Bessemer Academy following the 2007 football season and served as the quarterbacks coach at Minor in 2008. Floyd was approved to receive $120,000 per year in annual compensation. According to the 247Sports Composite, the last time 11 top-200 recruits called Alabama home was 2008. I got outta there as fast as my Nissan with the lawn mower engine could go. Freeman landed his first head football coaching job at Bessemer Academy in 1998. And save for his first year with Concord Parks and Rec, when he scored a basket in the opposing teams hoop, he was good, too. I think that you trust your evaluation, and you don't put too much emphasis on the stars. I think you get the inspiration, its like an injection of energy. Hes got what the kids call bounce.. Since then, Ive made it a point to keep up with Thompson. records may be incomplete. Working with him before, it was a fortunate opportunity for us to have this chance to bring him on board.. He was named the leagues best player for the second year in a row. Hoover has faced it plenty over the years. Mark Freeman attended Bessemer Academy and graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Former star Marlon Humphrey was an All-American at Alabama and is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. In the last 20 years, Alabama averaged 4.05 top-100 recruits, 7.05 top-200 and 10.3 top-300. He backed off that pledge seven months later and decommitted. Near Birmingham, Gardendales Kelby Collins is No. Auburn hadn't signed an Auburn High School player since 2009, but Harsin landed offensive lineman Eston Harris Jr. and linebacker Powell Gordon in 2022. It was 1987 when he took the reins of the Thompson Middle School team in Newport. Ronald H. Thompson (born c. 1944) is a former American football coach. Please try a new search. 11 in the 247Sports Composite and already stands 6-foot-2, 180 pounds. Thats the altitude Thompson has currently reached with its run of impressive athletes, which also includes three-star quarterback Conner Harrell, who is committed to North Carolina. }; Thompson High School Head Football Coach Mark Freeman is the face of the Thompson Warriors, the 3-time defending Class 7A State Champions. Jaiden Thompson (3) leaving it all on the court. He spent a lot of time here talking, and he didn't have to do that. Theyre not practicing the way we want them to practice. I have a great team, a great family, and we could actually win this whole thing.. Faulkners first grandbaby, Thompson was, in many ways, HER heartbeat. Alexander is locked in with the Crimson Tide for the second time. Baker, who had a decorated career as the head coach at Catawba College, believes Thompson, who carries a 3.8 GPA, will win the recruiting game. Heck, if theres anything more important to him than his biological family, its this group of guys and their coaches. Its a sort of throwback team, considering how offense is so valued in the game of football today. In the four years before Thompson and Bullock got to campus, the Vikings won a total of 33 games. One of the states current football hot spots is G.W. PORTSMOUTH Aquidneck Island native and Portsmouth resident Keith MacDonald vividly remembers how he got his first football coaching job. Im not a fan of anybody, but I just respected him coming in and talking about getting the culture right, Gardner said. They have reached the Class 7A State Championship Game each of the past four years and have captured three consecutive years. Jaiden Thompson (3) busts a move to get to the basket. Central Cabarrus coach Jim Baker struggles to find a fault in the 6-foot-1 Thompsons game, but if he had to nick-pick, its that hed like the low-key guard to be more vocal on the floor. Highland Home coach Will Pouncey hasnt seen Harsin visit, but he said Auburns assistants have had consistent contact. "I think every team wants to win. Theres no my way or the highway. What I want to do is take what Ive learned, what Ive been able to take in during my five years with Thompson and apply it to Moody. That potential was something he took with him to Calera as a baseball coach, athletic director and football coach. Job Summary. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Thompson figured his freshman season was a success, but he knew he could be better. Steven Hoffmann High School Teacher / Asst Football & Powerlifting Coach. I watched him in the Gadsden City game. He will also serve a dual role as the system athletic director for Alabaster City Schools. He will make a yearly stipend of $4,988. Last years team started 3-2 and finished 3-7, but lost four games by eight points or less to talented playoff teams. "Rogers (High) AD Ricky Hole was close friends with my dad," MacDonald said. 27. 4) are both top-25 prospects in the country. What would make you consider a digital subscription to Shelby County Reporter? And when you put together a 60-1 record over the course of two years, it takes something special, something stronger than Xs and Os and talent. The No. That's what Freeman's glowing resume is expected to bring. A lot of people thought Oh you just got a great coach. Hes spent this winter answering those questions unequivocally, but he wants to put an exclamation mark on it now. This year, despite losing star quarterback Tyler Johnstonto a knee injury in Week 5, Spanish Fort went 12-2 and reached the Class 6A state semifinals before losing to Saraland. He coached for 10 seasons at Bessemer Academy, winning AISA titles in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007. "It is going to be special.". When Harsin visited Mars Hill, he was targeting three-star offensive lineman Koby Keenum, who playsa position of priority for Auburns 2023 class. Hey, what are your thoughts on this player? Knowledge of sport. Have a long enough conversation with any coach in the region, and eventually off-the-record claims of impermissible recruiting against any number of schools will surface. Join us in the forums to submit corrections and new information. He helped the Vikings win 30 games for the second year in a row. Ganus arrived on campus to meet with the Blue . Also, for the past three seasons, Thompson has been the Vikings leading scorer, with each campaign ending with the SPC titles. San Rafael football is in search of a Junior Varsity Head Coach, Junior Varsity Offensive Coordinator, Junior Varsity Defensive Coordinator, and Varsity Linebackers coach. Its going to be scary.. His grandma, of course, will be with his grandpa, his mother and his uncle cheering Thompson on, hopefully for the next two weekends. 3,620 Followers. The Warriors (13-1) captured a third straight 7A championship while making a fourth straight Super 7 appearance. 1 player in the state in the 247Sports Composite. Located about 20 miles south of Birmingham, Alabaster is known for its industry and the minerals it mines. Once that first game came and everything was so quick and easy, I was just (snaps fingers), Yeah, I can do this.. No, we got a great person, Vickers said. professionals work together to achieve the highest standards in You have permission to edit this article. Freeman was also the coach of the All-Star football game seven consecutive seasons. On the other hand, Vigor High School coach John McKenzie thinks Mobile is often overlooked by recruiters. Shelby County Schools is currently looking to fill the head coaching position at Calera High School. 7 recruits played at Thompson. Former Auburn defensive line coach Nick Eason visited Eufaula in December, but he is the only Auburn staffer Rigby has seen at the school. He even referenced the model set by former Cox Mill star Wendell Moore Jr., who led the Chargers to back-to-back state titles before going on to shine at Duke and become the first Cabarrus County-bred athlete to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Alabama has more in its backyard than other traditionally talent-rich SEC states, including Louisiana and Georgia. He has an offer right now, but he doesnt have that ONE. Griffin starting five might sound familiar to Central Cabarrus fans: Gavin Bullock, Adriel Miller, Eli Ford and Micah Murray. Eads appreciated Harsin asking for ideas and advice about organizing a coaching clinic. Later, the same call was made on Bullock. In another, it makes perfect sense. Harsins future was under the microscope in February during an internal investigationinvolving his treatment of players and staff. . The Freeman and Floyd hirings have signaled a new era in Alabama high school football. Congratulations to Jontavis Curry, Noah Story, Marcellus Brigham and Jordan Jones for being selected the Thomson players of the game. Oh, he was still a really good player for Central Cabarrus, a team hed helped to a 30-1 record the previous season, all while being named the player of the year in his conference. Im trying to set them up for interceptions and PBUs.. The Class 7A team hasnt been to the playoffs since going 8-4 in 2006. It's the second time during the three-peat that Thompson has defeated the Red Devils (13-1) in the championship game. It was a chance, but we knew it would be risky because we were in a great job in a great place. The Tigers did not add anybody to their 2022 class on National Signing Day earlier this month. Those were the things that helped bring him solace as he was dealing with his frustration. And Updates from all around. All rights reserved (About Us). Shes real aggressive sometimes, but I love her. That discrepancy was at the center of Auburn's recent turmoil. BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Josh Floyd was hired by earlier this month for $121,000 per season. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Even though none of Shades players had an offer from Auburn during the last recruiting cycle, Harsin was trying to make a visit before getting sidetracked. . Our offense will be spread, tempo. I wrestled, I played baseball. When we are able to win and we want to win, then we are going to win.". Now, reaching the 30-win plateau -- in ONE season is the standard. Being able to keep that promise for my grandma would probably be the biggest thing ever.. Harsin has a golden opportunity to rebound: The upcoming 2023 talent pool in Alabama is the states deepest and most top-heavy of this century. Hoover once had an infamous television show, Two-A-Days, document its football program and has won 13 state championships. Pinson Valley often has talent (see: Bo Nix). 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. I would see everybody get these offers, and sometimes people base their lives on one game. Thompson was beside himself. I mean, if you come and play hard, its hard to get on a kid. "dfpConfig": { Hoover City Schools pays its football coaches the same $47,741 stipend. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Make them your biggest fans.. Theyre not showing up for meetings on time. And (Auburns coaches) really dont have any tolerance for that in the program. High School Teacher jobs 25,325 open jobs Building Supervisor jobs 25,132 open jobs . That facility will also come with a new football stadium. Alabaster City Schools approved Freeman as the new head football coach at Thompson on Friday. Those hirings mean the two highest-paid high school football coaches in Alabama compete in the same region. Ganus said hes excited to helm the Blue Devils, even though it will be much different than his work with Thompson. The most accomplished high school football coach in Southeast Texas is calling it a career. 2022 Thompson Football Schedule; Football Information; Thompson Middle School 705 West Main Street St. Charles, IL 60174 . I knew he had a plane to get to, and I kept trying to hurry him out, Eads said. Freeman's hiring meant an increase of almost $50,000 per year in what Thompson had . That both teams are so talented and competitive makes Alabama high school football better. Eason is at Clemson now. He moved on to Gulf Shores in 2009. Alabama High School Football History Thompson Coaches Thompson Warriors The AHSFHS.org Fan Shop Some records may be incomplete. Wallace is expected to transfer. Freeman resigned from Spanish Fort to accept the head coaching job at Thompson high school near Birmingham. That's very likely to change, but that's where things stand today. Following the 2020-21 school year, Thompson was even named Teacher of the Year for the Ogden School District. The funds generated by those summer camps can typically add another $10,000-$30,000 to a coach's bottom line income in some cases. Coach Freeman and Thompson football have had a lot of positive impact. As for his immediate plans at Moody, Ganus said that he was looking to build on the recent success the team has found. (Jeff Sentell/[email protected]). Thompson Warrior: Sloth Nationzz AHSFHS Master Researcher. DS David Simone Team 8-3 - Language Arts. He even led the team with 2.7 steals for a squad that went from six wins the year before to 17. That was his happy place, his own piece of utopia. And weve never seen Coach Harsin on campus.. Ben Thompson, an assistant on Sam London's staff the last two seasons, will be the Red Tornado's . After that, everything just clicked. But it wasnt an, Absolutely, yeah, Ill do it. But then I started thinking about it. Jeff Sentell covers prep sports for AL.com and the Birmingham News. 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. Mar 2, 2023 Updated 27 min ago. Wendell stayed at public school, he stayed grounded, he stayed with Cox Mill for four years. That's the predominately Birmingham-based region in the Alabama High School Athletic Association's largest playing classification. 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. Jaiden Thompson (3) shoots the J with a hand in his face. OK, I was a lot alarmed. He was named the AISA Football Coach of the Year in 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2007 and the Coach of the Year according to the Alabama Sports Writers in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Its a hotly contested game that draws huge crowds, benefitting both programs. It took Freeman a couple of years to get it going. Reed made such a positiveimpact that the Auburn alum was promoted this week to director of recruiting relations, adding to Harsin's arsenal. Harsin hadnt been to Thompson. Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities, Scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza. Those totals did not include any monies received from head football coaches for their football camps. The current defense has shut out five of its 10 regular-season opponents and held nine to fewer than 10 points. Truth be told, Freeman and Hoover coach Josh Niblett could be on college coaching staffs if they chose to be. He has built a powerhouse at Thompson winning four state championships in a row. After 90 minutes of talking football, Darrell Higgins couldnt believe Harsin was still in his office. Join to view profile Thompson Valley High School. We now have834teams & 188,070games on AHSFHS.org. (Hurley recently committed to Alabama.). I kind of fell out of love with the game, Thompson admits as he sits in Central Cabarrus empty auxiliary gym earlier this year. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Its a region that includes Hoover, Hewitt-Trussville, Vestavia Hills, Oak Mountain, Gadsden City and Tuscaloosa County. He also coached softball, powerlifting, girls and boys basketball. To sharpen his skills, he started working with a basketball trainer, Kyree Bethel, whod played at Chowan and coached one of his summer teams. Some Waldrop said he had conversations with Etheridge and Auburn defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding, both of whom regularly made themselves available. The Warriors went 5-5 in each of his first two seasons in 2015 and 2016. Freeman, 55, told AL.com at the meeting that he hadn't even seen his contract or knew his final salary number. Both coaches compete in Class 7A, Region 3. It would turn out to be the most heavily-attended board meeting for a school system that's still just in its toddler years. Coach Kirk Johnson has handled the football teams recruiting for a number of years, developing ties at Auburn. 74 overall in the 2023 class. It kind of started in seventh grade, Thompson said. 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. Things started off good for him the summer before his freshman year at Central. 1 recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. That winter also is when I personally started to make my first close observations of Thompsons abilities. ", Before Wade Waldrop became Hoovers coach recently, he coached five-star cornerback Jahlil Hurley at Florence. Youll find exponentially more 4X4 pickup trucks than Mercedes-Benz. Central has played for the 7A championship in three of the last four seasons, beating Thompson 52-7 in 2018 . You cant describe him, Alexander said. Photographer Kenny Grimes has posted a new gallery Fitzgerald vs. Thomson (GHSA 2A Final) containing 104 photos. 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