Gulf Shores, AL – The Gulf Shores Dolphins have their third head coach in the past year.
When the Dolphins hit the gridiron in just over a month they will be lead by a familiar face in former GSHS assistant Matt Blake.
Blake served as an offensive assistant on former Dolphins head coach Ben Blackmon’s staff from 2011-2014. He helped lead Gulf Shores to a 21-20 record over four seasons before following Blackmon to Baldwin County rival Spanish Fort.
The Montgomery native and University of Alabama alumni currently holds two state championship rings, one from his time as an assistant at Robert E. Lee and the other from Spanish Fort’s 2015 undefeated title run.
In addition to his time on legendary head coach Spence McCracken’s staff at Lee-Montgomery, Blake spent a year as the the head coach of the the Monroe County Tigers (2-8) and had stints as an assistant at Prattville, Hillcrest-Evergeen, Gulf Shores and Spanish Fort.
He has also held assistant coaching positions in Florida and Georgia.
Blake will look to turn around a Dolphins squad that has seen it’s share of turnover since he departed Gulf Shores in 2014.
The last head coach to lead Gulf Shores on the gridiron, Jamie Williams, was dismissed in November following a winless campaign in 2016. He lead the Dolphins to a 1-19 record during his two seasons on the coast.
After parting ways with Williams Gulf Shores turned to Murphy Panthers head coach Rick Cauley. After leading the Dolphin program for seven months Cauley stepped down, without coaching a game, to accept an assistant coaching position at his alma mater, Satsuma High.
Blake’s Dauphins will travel to Birmingham to open the season at 7A Mountain Brook on August 25th.
His team will debut at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium September 1st against 6A Region 1 foe Baldwin County.
2017 Coaching Changes
| School | Former Coach | New Coach |
| Aliceville | Rico Jackson | Melvin Pete |
| Alma Bryant | Bruce Breland | Doug Hoehn |
| Ashville | Steve Martin | Trey Pike |
| Autauga Academy | Kyle Glover | Bobby Carr |
| Berry | Danny Raines | Caleb Hynds |
| Beulah | Jarrod Wooten | Cody Flournoy |
| Bessemer City | Martez Edwards | Quintin Jackson |
| Brindlee Mtn. | Matt Self | Keith Garner |
| Boaz | Eric Whaley | Jeremy Sullivan |
| Buckhorn | John Holladay | Keith Henderson |
| Calhoun | Bill Lamar | Ervin Starr |
| Chilton County | Brian Bradford | Tal Morrison |
| Carver-Montgomery | Billy Gresham | Willie Spears |
| Clarke Co. | Junior Kelley | Stacey Luker |
| Clay-Chalkville | Jerry Hood | Drew Gilmer |
| Colbert Co. | Dale Jeffreys | Brett Mask |
| Columbia | Chris Hancock | Marcus McCall |
| Coosa Valley Academy | Steve McCord | Dane Reese |
| DAR | Bobby Rhodes | Joel Pool |
| Daleville | Josh Parrish | Rob Armstrong |
| Dallas Co. | Marty Smith | Clifford Matthews |
| Demopolis | Stacey Luker | Brian Seymore |
| Deshler | Mike Hand | Bo Culver |
| Donoho | Andy McWilliams | Mark Sanders |
| Dora | Mike Cain | Bart Lockhart |
| Douglas | Brad Pounds | Bryan Jennings |
| Elkmont | Sean Holt | Duane Wales |
| Escambia County | Royce Young | Rico Jackson |
| Fairfield | L.C. Cole | Keon Handley |
| Faith Academy | Lance Lawley | Jeff Estes |
| Florala | Brad Rhodes | Scott Mason |
| Fruitdale | Ryan Little | Mike Davis |
| Gadsden City | Matt Scott | Bart Sessions |
| Grissom | Eddie Stewart | Chip English |
| Gulf Shores | Jamie Williams | Matt Blake |
| Haleyville | Bo Culver | Todd McNutt |
| Headland | Scott Glenn | Danny Raines |
| Highand Home | Gregg Baker | Phillip Coggins |
| Holtville | Hunter Adams | Jason Franklin |
| Holy Spirit | Jamie Griffin | Mark Cochran |
| Hooper Academy | Chad Michael | Duane McWhorter |
| Horseshoe Bend | Jason Franklin | Josh Averett |
| Huntsville | Clint Woodfin | Mark Fleetwood |
| Kingwood Christian | Sheldon Ward | Todd Bradford |
| Kinston | Johnny Mitchell | Jon Cooper |
| Lakeside | Phil Anderson | Jimmy King |
| Lamar Co. | James Moore | Robbie Bradford |
| Lincoln | Brad Wallace | Matt Zedaker |
| Linden | Andro Williams | Demtrice Jackson |
| Loachapoka | Jerome Tate | Antonio Richards |
| Marengo Academy | Webb Tutt | Lebo Jones |
| Mary Montgomery | Brian Seymore | Chris Wilson |
| McGill-Toolen | Caleb Ross | Earnest Hill |
| Meek | Lance Archer | David Norwood |
| Minor | George Bates | Curtis Graves |
| Murphy | Rick Cauley | Muskingum Barnes |
| New Hope | Randall Taylor | Kenny Chadwick |
| Northside | Darrin Hughes | Chris Hilliker |
| Northside Methodist | Dustin Harrison | George Kennedy |
| Northview | LaBrian Stewart | Josh Parrish |
| Oneonta | Don Jacobs | Brandon Herring |
| Opelika | Brian Blackmon | Caleb Ross |
| Pinson Valley | Matt Glover | Patrick Nix |
| Pleasant Home | Chris Mason | Richard Mercer |
| R.A. Hubbard | Nicholas Vinson | Mac Hampton |
| Red Level | James Wise | Kenny Skipper |
| Scottsboro | Patrick Nix | Don Jacobs |
| Section | Drew Davis | Luke Powell |
| Selma | Keon Handley | Christopher Raymond |
| Sparkman | Chris Cagle | Laron White |
| Stanhope Elmore | Mike Dean | Brian Bradford |
| St John Paul II | John Munford | David Lloyd |
| Straughn | Chris Wilson | John Higgins |
| St. Clair Co. | Lance Smith | Matt Glover |
| Sumiton Christian | Bart Lockhart | Mike McCarty |
| Susan Moore | Ken Adams | Heath Lauderdale |
| Talladega | Robert Herring Jr. | Ted Darby |
| Tanner | Laron White | Maurice Belser |
| Thorsby | Billy Jackson | Daryl Davis |
| Trinity Presbyterian | Randy Ragsdale | Barry Loyal |
| Tuscaloosa Co. | Bart Sessions | John Holladay |
| Victory Christian | Mark Sanders | Mark Holliday |
| Vinemont | Matt Norris | Stephen Robinson |
| Washington Co. | Al Earnest | Devin Roberts |
| Woodlawn | Cornelius Turner | George Bates |
| W.S. Neal | Doug Hoehn | Andro Williams |
| Zion Chapel | Bubba Nall | Randy Bryant |
