Former Eufaula coach Bryan Moore was named the new head coach at Jasper High School on January 7th, and he says that what attracted him to the school was the total dedication of the school to football.
“Here I am able to just be the football coach. I don’t have to be the athletic director as well,” Moore said. “In this day and time wearing both hats is a huge time commitment. By just concentrating on football, I will be able to spend more time with my family. It was a really important issue.” Moore was also impressed with the new facilities, as Jasper moved into a brand new school in the last year.
In three years at Eufaula, Moore registered a 26-9 record, guiding the Tigers to the Class 5A playoffs all three years, including two trips to the second round. Moore served as an assistant coach at Opelika High School for eight years, serving the last four as offensive coordinator, before taking the Eufaula job.
It has been a busy two weeks, trying to find a place to live and preparing himself for the new challenge. He started at the school on Monday, January 22nd. “We had a team meeting last week and had 100 players at the meeting,” Moore said. “That was very encouraging.”
He has spent his first week just trying to get accustomed to the school and the schedule. He has also spent time meeting with members of the coaching staff at Jasper. “It is kind of an unsure time for the coaches that are already at a school when a new coach comes in,” Moore said. “I am trying to learn who all wants to stay and work. I certainly hope to bring in some guys that I know and trust.” It is a lesson he learned from former Opelika Hall of Fame coach Spence McCracken while coaching for the Bulldogs.
“Coach McCracken said it was really important to have coaches that you know and who are loyal to you,” he said. “The whole staff thing is like putting a puzzle together. I hope to get all the pieces in place soon.”
Coach Moore said he is a little unfamiliar with the teams on Jaspers’s schedule, being on more of the west side of the state where he has never coached. He is finishing putting his schedule which he hopes will include a renewing of the rivalry with Cullman High School. The Vikings will compete in Class 5A Region 7, dropping down from 6A.
Moore is a Valley native and graduate of Springwood School and Auburn University.
Jasper Athletic Director Jonathan Jordan said that the school searched through more than 100 applicants, but Coach Moore stood out because of his commitment to young people. “When we started making phone calls about him, everyone we talked to was very complimentary of what kind of coach and and person we would get in Coach Moore. We believe we hired one of the best young coaches in the state.”
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