Two Alabama high school football coaches have resigned following a scandal involving inappropriate behavior that was caught on video and widely circulated on social media.
The disturbing footage showed coaches engaging in actions that have raised serious concerns about player safety and the culture within the football program at Hoover High School.
The resignations of head coach Drew Gilmer and defensive coordinator Adam Helms were announced by the school district during a special board of education meeting on Thursday. The decision came after both coaches were initially placed on administrative leave as the district investigated the incidents.
The controversy erupted after videos surfaced showing troubling behavior during football practice. In one video, obtained by WBRC, a coach is seen thrusting his hips into the face of a player who is lying on the ground.
In another clip, a coach is shown aggressively ripping off a player’s helmet following a tackle. A separate video captures a coach sprinting across the field to rip another player’s helmet off, causing the high schooler to fall to the ground during a drill.
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State Representative Juandalyn Givan (D-Jefferson) expressed her alarm over the videos, emphasizing that the issue is not about the coaches’ abilities on the field but about the unacceptable conduct depicted in the footage. “This has nothing to do with him being a good coach on the field of play. It has everything to do with what was depicted on the video in an instance that left pause and concern again throughout, not just Alabama, but throughout the sports industry as a whole,” Givan said.
While the school district has not officially identified the coaches involved in the videos, the actions seen in the footage have led to widespread criticism and concern for the welfare of the student-athletes. Hoover Schools Superintendent Kevin Maddox addressed the situation in a statement, acknowledging the distress it has caused within the community. “The past few days have been extremely unsettling for many of our varsity football players, coaches, and the overall Hoover Community,” Maddox said. “The safety and well-being of our students and staff continue to be our top priorities.”
Maddox emphasized the district’s commitment to maintaining high expectations for both students and staff, and noted that the district’s current focus is on supporting the football players and the remaining coaching staff as they move forward.
Givan, who has been outspoken in representing the players affected by the incidents, highlighted the trauma experienced by one of the players in the videos. She stated that the 17-year-old player was “subjected to an experience no child should ever go through regardless if it’s on the field of play,” according to AL.com.
In the wake of the resignations, the school district has appointed offensive coordinator Chip English as the interim head coach. English will lead the team as they prepare for their season opener on August 24 in Miami, Florida.
The Hoover Police Department is currently investigating the incidents shown in the videos, adding a legal dimension to the ongoing controversy.
Despite the resignations and the investigation, some student-athletes have voiced their support for the departed coaches. “We love Coach Gilmer and Coach Helms! Ask any player on the roster. They’ve done a lot for us and the Hoover program,” one student expressed on social media. “If the players want him as our coach, we should be able to keep him! He might coach a little differently, but that’s why he wins!”
Drew Gilmer had been hired as the head coach of Hoover High School in January after a successful tenure at Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama, where he amassed an impressive 81-12 record. Helms, who had worked alongside Gilmer at Clay-Chalkville, followed him to Hoover High School.
The Hoover High School football program, known for its strong tradition and success, was previously featured in the MTV reality series “Two-A-Days,” which aired from August 2006 to April 2007 and chronicled the lives of the players and coaches.
As the investigation continues and the team prepares for the upcoming season, the Hoover High School community is left grappling with the fallout from the controversy, as well as the questions it raises about the conduct and culture within its storied football program.
