Chip English Named Hoover Bucs Interim Head Football Coach

Hoover, AL – Chip English, who previously served as the head football coach of the Albertville Aggies, has stepped into the interim head coach role at Hoover following first year Bucs head coach Drew Gilmer being placed on administrative leave Tuesday afternoon. 

English joined former Hoover head coach Wade Waldrop’s staff as quarterbacks coach prior to the start of the 2023 season.  

During his two year stint at the helm of the Albertville program, English lead the Class 7A Aggies to a combined record of 2-18. Prior to that, he led Huntsville’s Grissom High from 2017 to 2020, posting a 16-25 record and and advancing to the postseason in 2020.

Click here to check out the full 2024 Alabama high school football Coaching Carousel.  

Earlier in his career, English turned around a West Caldwell High program (Lenoir, NC) who was coming off its 11th consecutive loosing season.  He guided the Warriors to a 4-7 record in 2014, 7-6 in 2015 and 10-3 in 2016.

The decision to appoint English as interim head coach came after both Gilmer and defensive coordinator Adam Helms were placed on administrative leave, as announced Tuesday by Hoover City Schools superintendent Kevin Maddox. The announcement was followed by the circulation of a video on social media purportedly showing inappropriate conduct by some members of Hoover’s coaching staff during a recent practice session.

Gilmer, who made the move to Hoover from Class 6A power Clay-Chalkville in January, brought an impressive track record, having won two out of the last three Class 6A state championships. His tenure at Clay-Chalkville included an 81-12 record, capped by a perfect 14-0 season in 2023, culminating in a victory over Saraland at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the Class 6A title game.

Hoover is slated to kick-off their 2024 campaign August 23rd, in South Florida, against Davie, FL’s Western High School. 

Featured Photo: (Joselin Figueroa | Aggie Vision)