T.R. Miller nabs championship winning head coach

Brewton, AL – According to sources familiar with the T.R. Miller head coaching search the Tigers have landed their next leader on the gridiron. 

Former Leeds Green Wave and current Pell City Panthers head coach Keith Etheredge is expected to be named the Tigers 19th head coach.

Etheredge lead his alma mater Leeds Green Wave to a 107-34 record over ten years before accepting the head coaching position at Pell City in 2016.  He lead the Panthers to a combined 12-10 record and back-to-back playoff appearances in two seasons. 

While at Leeds, Etheredge’s teams brought home four state titles, six region crowns and reached at least the third round of the playoffs in each of his 10 seasons at the helm. 

The Jacksonville State grad will replace Andrew Thomas who resigned in November after leading the Tigers program to a 13-8 record over two years.  Thomas’ squad finished the 2017 season at 5-5, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1983.  

The T.R. Miller program is used to success, having won six AHSAA state football championships and 20 region titles in their 91 year history.  Four of the Tigers state championships were won under legendary head coach Jamie Riggs.  Riggs posted a 293-62 mark over 27 years including 14 region titles and eight state championship game appearances.  

Interesting fact: Former Tigers head coach Jamie Riggs has been seen on the sidelines over the past couple of seasons at Leeds’ Homer Smiles Stadium since retiring from T.R. Miller in 2015.  Riggs son Mikel is an assistant on Lee Gibson’s Leeds Green Wave staff.