Alaric Williams takes over successful Alabama high school football program

A defending Alabama high school football state champion will have a new mentor at the helm. Maxwell Donaldson of the Gadsden Times reports that Coosa Christian promoted Alaric Williams from offensive coordinator to head coach.

Williams took over from controversial coach Mark O’Bryant, who stepped down to pursue opportunities beyond coaching. Coosa Christian recently reinstated O’Bryant after serving a season-long suspension. His punishment stemmed from his violation of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s coaching outside the school year rule. Without his suspension, the Conquerors will remain ineligible for the postseason for a second consecutive year.

To prevent another playoff ban, the school hired legendary coach Rush Propst. The strategy worked as Propst led the Conquerors to the Alabama high school football Class 2A state championship and a 13-2 finish.

This result puts pressure on Williams, a Southside alum, to help Coosa Christian defend the title. More importantly, there’s no animosity between O’Bryant and Williams, as the former treats the 27-year-old coach like a son.

Alaric Williams’ promotion ends O’Bryant’s tenure with Coosa Christian after five seasons. While he guided the Conquerors to a 38-21 record, nine forfeitures brought his standing down to 29-30. From a 3-7 finish in 2020, O’Bryant led the Conquerors to their first regional championship, first state semifinal berth, and first state championship game appearance.

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