After a tumultuous 2020, Russell County football has new coaches — and a new vision
2020 was a long year for the Russell County football community, COVID-19 notwithstanding.
The Warriors’ coach, Mark Rose, was a harsh critic of playing high school football during the pandemic. He called it “child exploitation” in an interview with NPR, refused to coach during COVID, retired from his position in protest and even sued members of the the Russell County Board of Education to prevent his firing.
To top it all off, the Warriors went winless in 2020, scoring just 14 points the entire season while giving up 184.
The Russell County community has been through a lot, and the Warriors are ready to leave 2020 behind.
A splashy head coaching hire and a culture reboot could be the jolt the program needs.
“These kids deserve the best of the best,” new head coach Dillon Griggs told the Ledger-Enquirer. “Right now it’s about getting the best thing for these kids.”
A coach who’s no stranger to success
The Warriors’ new coach has a track record of strong offenses and, most importantly, success — including at another east Alabama high school.
On Feb. 23, the Russell County school board approved the hiring of Griggs, former offensive coordinator at Pinson Valley.
Griggs knows winning: He was an assistant coach on Jamey DuBose’s Central Red Devils team that won the 2018 Alabama Class 7A state championship. He was most recently the offensive coordinator for a Pinson team that went 12-2 and won the Alabama Class 6A state championship in 2020.
“I’ve just been really fortunate throughout my career,” Griggs said. “I got to be a part of two state championship teams, been under some really good coaches.”
Griggs is also no stranger to high-scoring offenses, something the Warriors need desperately following a 2020 season that saw them struggle to put points on the scoreboard.
The Indians averaged nearly 30 points per game in 2020 and closed the season with eight consecutive wins.
Before his lone season at Pinson Valley, Griggs was the offensive coordinator at a Jackson football program that had gone 98-28 in the past decade.
In 2019, despite finishing the season third in Class 5A Region 1, Griggs’ Jackson offense was the second-highest scoring offense in the region, averaging 29 points per game. The Aggies totaled 348 points on the year, second to only 11-1 Faith Academy.
A team with potential
“Why Russell County?”
That’s the first question Griggs was asked when he interviewed for the job.
“I chose Russell County because it kind of reminded me of me,” Griggs said. “I thought there was a lot of potential there, but I am where I am today because I’ve had some coaches and teachers who have really helped me along. They helped tap that potential. ... A lot of times, you just need the right people in place.”
When Superintendent Brenda Coley called Griggs to offer him the job, he answered “yes” before she could finish the sentence.
Whether the right people are in place will be determined in the future, but a culture change is coming to Russell County.
The facilities at Russell County are undergoing a facelift. Griggs’ office has been repainted, and the staff wants to improve the team’s locker room. Improvements could be coming to the football field, though school officials would not disclose any specifics.
“He came with big ideas,” Russell County High School Principal Tonya Keene told the L-E. “He talked to me about, ‘What are the needs of the students?’ It wasn’t, ‘What are the needs of your football program,’ but, ‘What are the needs of the school, and how can I help with that?’”
Building a staff
Griggs also brought in successful coaches who how to build a culture and sell a vision.
The vision, says assistant coach and co-offensive coordinator Justin Albert, is to do everything “the right way.” To show the kids that they care. To provide them opportunities outside of high school football through college connections.
“I think the vision is very clear with the coaches that coach Griggs is bringing in,” Albert said. “To show (the kids) that this is serious, and I think we can do something really special.”
Lisa Trammel, who runs the Warrior Spirit Committee and has a son on the football team, echoed similar sentiments.
“It’s just different,” she said. “ ... My kid has been pumped every day he’s come home from spring practice. He’s excited about it. He likes all the new coaches. He’s super excited to be a part of this.”
Offensive coordinator Matthew Brazell started at Prattville and has, like Albert, coached at Central and Pinson.
Coaching running backs is Kamryn Pettway, who played for the Auburn team that appeared in the 2017 SEC Championship Game.
“It’s an extremely unique opportunity,” Brazell told the L-E. “What’s life without a challenge? This is a place that has unlimited amounts of potential. ... Why not go do something that has not been done before? Folks have won championships at big-time programs and really established programs. But you have to start somewhere.
“We’ve been at big-time programs. Now let’s see if we can go build one ourselves.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
