Bill Smith named Huffman head coach

Birmingham, AL – Alabama high school football coaching veteran Bill Smith has been named Huffman High School’s 8th head football coach.

The former University of Alabama letterman takes over for former Vikings coach Alex Wilson who lead the Vikings to a 25-57 record, including one playoff birth, over eight seasons.

Smith spent 2019 at the helm of 4A Fayette County, leading the Tigers to an 8-3 mark including a 5-1 record in region play and a trip to the first round of the AHSAA playoffs.

The Russellville native began his head coaching career at Crossville, guiding the Panthers to a 9-11 record over two seasons before accepting the top job at 6A Shades Valley in 2011.

Smith took over a Mounties program who had limped to a 13-37 record over the previous five seasons, reestablishing the former Jefferson County power as a yearly playoff contender. During his four year stint in Irondale, Smith lead Shades Valley to a combined 26-19 mark including three trips to the postseason and a 16-11 record in region play.

He followed up his tenure at Shades Valley with a four year stretch at Munford, posting a 28-18 record, three playoff births and a region title before moving to Fayette County prior to the 2019 season.

Smith’s career record currently stands at 71-51, 45-29 in region play, with a 5-7 postseason mark, a pair of 10 win seasons and a region crown.

The Vikings will join traditional power Briarwood Christian, local rivals Woodlawn, Homewood and Shades Valley along with former 7A playoff contender Mountain Brook and the Chelsea Hornets in class 6A region 7 in 2020.

Smith is expected to lead Huffman on the field for the first time August, 21st as the Vikings welcome Benjamin Russell to Birmingham. HHS will begin region play September 4th, traveling to Smith’s old stomping grounds, Frank Nix Stadium to face the Shades Valley Mounties.