Oxford pegs finalists
- Updated: May 1, 2019
Hillcrest’s Adams, T.R. Miller’s Etheredge said to be finalists for Oxford football coaching job; decision Friday
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD – County championships are nice, but the Oxford athletics program says its all about winning state titles and the two coaches said to be the finalists for the Yellow Jackets’ vacant head football coaching position know a little something about that.
East Alabama Sports Today has learned Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa head coach Sam Adams and T.R. Miller head coach Keith Etheredge are the two finalists to succeed Ryan Herring, who left last month to take the coaching job in Pierce County, Ga.
There has been no confirmation from Oxford administrators. High school principal Heath Harmon and schools superintendent Dr. Jeff Goodwin did not return messages Wednesday seeking comment.
The decision is expected to be announced at 5 p.m. Friday. Sources familiar with the search have said the selection committee won’t be informed of the choice until about a half-hour before the board meeting.
Adams, 39, is said to have made a very favorable impression during his interview.
He succeeded current Ohatchee head coach Scott Martin at Hillcrest. He has coached collegiately at Auburn and Louisville, and in high school at Trinity (Ky.), Spain Park, North Gwinnett and Hoover.
In five years of his first head coaching job at Hillcrest, Adams has a 44-19 record, never missed the playoffs and has two region championships. He was in the state title game once as an assistant at Spain Park and won it twice as an assistant at Hoover.
Etheredge, 45, is 125-49 in 13 years as a head coach (135-39 on the field). He won four state championships (2008, 2010, 2014, 2015) and was runner-up once in 10 years at alma mater Leeds. He also coached for two seasons at Pell City. In his first season at T.R. Miller last fall his team went 6-5.
Officials are said to have interviewed Oxford assistants Will Wagnon and Chad Cochran, former Oxford and Alabama player Darius Gilbert, Foley head coach Tad Niblett and Montevallo head coach Brandon Wilcox. Pinson Valley head coach Patrick Nix also toured the campus.
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