Former Alabama defensive lineman, Rudy Griffin, was announced as Bessemer City High School’s newest head coach Friday.
Griffin played for Alabama from 2003 to 2005. During his senior season, he made 16 tackles and had three tackles for loss.
The Georgia native previously coached at East Central Community College as a defensive line coach and also served as the Hewitt-Trussville defensive coordinator for four years. Griffin said he feels excited to get his first shot at being a head coach.
“I am extremely excited,” Griffin said. “I have always said Bessemer is a gold mine and is rich with talent. I am trying to hit the ground running and the players are ready to get on track.”
Bessemer City picked up eight wins during the 2019 football season en route to an appearance in the AHSAA playoffs. The Tigers lost in the first round of the 6-A playoffs, 69-68, to Wetumpka High. They will look to carry this momentum into next season as Griffin will look to run the program with three factors leading the way.
“We want to play a brand of football, that will be exciting for the fans and help create a style, that is very recognizable and is a noticeable brand for college recruiters,” Griffin said. “We want to play fast, physical and disciplined. The winning is going to take care of itself. I want to win. I am a very competitive person, but we are definitely going to have those three things.”
Multiple programs have used Griffin’s services over the last decade-plus in several different roles. Griffin said he feels his experience as an assistant coach will help him communicate with the coaches, who will work under him.
“I have been an assistant for 14 years, so I understand what it is like to be an assistant,” Griffin added. “I have been on that side of the fence before. I coached at every level from small High school football to college. I have striped fields and did everything in that area. I will totally understand where my assistant coaches will be coming from.”
Former Alabama quarterback, Andrew Zow, was previously the head coach of Bessemer City. Zow was with the Tigers for only one year.
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Justin Smith is a Scouting/Recruiting analyst for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via @Jdsmith31Smith
