Coaching Staffs Announced for 66th AHSAA North-South All-Star Football Classic

October 12, 2024

MONTGOMERY, AL – The coaching staffs who will lead the standouts in the 66th AHSAA North-South All-Star Football Classic are set. The event is set for Friday, December 13, at 2 p.m., at Mobile’s Hancock Whitney Stadium. The following day, Saturday, December 14, the 38th Alabama-Mississippi Classic will take place at the same venue, starting at noon.

Leading the North-South game are head coaches Kenny King of Daphne High School and Sam Adams of Oxford High School, chosen last spring by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association (AHSADCA). Former AHSADCA Director Brandon Dean announced their appointment in May, along with Jeff Kelly of Saraland High School as the Alabama head coach for the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic.

Since its inception in 1948, the North-South All-Star Game has become a staple of high school football in Alabama. Moved to Mobile in 2020, the South team has dominated, winning three of the four games held at Hancock Whitney Stadium, including a thrilling 31-28 victory last year. They enter this year’s game on a two-game winning streak with an overall series lead of 35-28-2.

AHSADCA Director James T. Lawrence announced the assistant coaches on Friday, noting, “The two staffs are loaded with outstanding coaches. This game means a lot to each of them. It is the oldest all-star game in the AHSAA, dating back to 1948, and it has provided opportunities for our players and coaches over the last 77 years to share memories and form lasting friendships through their participation in the annual game.”

The North-South All-Star Classic, initially paused from 1985 to 1996, resumed as part of the AHSAA’s annual All-Star Sports Week series in 1997. In 2020, the football game transitioned from July to December, finding a new home in Mobile.

Coaching Backgrounds

Kenny King, a Daphne High School alum, played in the 1998 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game and had a standout collegiate career at the University of Alabama. He earned All-SEC and Academic All-America honors as a defensive lineman before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2003 NFL Draft. King, who played in the NFL from 2003 to 2006, has been the head coach at Daphne High School since 2016, amassing a 56-38 record, including a 4-3 start this season.

Sam Adams, an Auburn University graduate, was a multi-sport athlete at Corner High School. His head-coaching career began at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in 2014, where he compiled a 56-29 record over seven seasons. Since taking over at Oxford in 2021, Adams boasts a 28-14 record, with his current team sitting at 7-0. His career record as a head coach is 84-43. Adams has three state championship rings as an assistant coach, serving as the offensive coordinator for Kentucky’s Trinity in 2005, followed by stints at Hoover in 2012 and 2013, and Spain Park in 2007.

North-South Coaching Staffs

South Staff – Head Coach Kenny King

Jed Kennedy (Linebackers) – Dothan High School, 133-58 record
David Watts (Running Backs) – G.W. Long High School, 28-31 record
Bobby Carr (Quarterbacks/Offensive Coordinator) – Carver-Montgomery High School, 259-61 record
Brian Seymore (Offensive Line) – Trinity Presbyterian School, 141-70 record
Lawrence O’Neal (Defensive Backs) – Tallassee High School, 22-19 record
Justin Jones (Wide Receivers) – Beauregard High School, 72-55 record

North Staff – Head Coach Sam Adams

Adrian Abrams (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line) – Minor High School, 30-37 record
Aryvia Holmes (Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers) – McAdory High School, 23-15 record
David McKinney (Offensive Line) – Winfield High School, 151-56 record
Darrell Higgins (Linebackers) – Mars Hill Bible School, 84-26 record
Chris Elmore (Quarterbacks) – Fort Payne High School, 75-51 record
Chris McGehee (Defensive Backs) – James Clemens High School, 35-23 record

Mark your calendars for December 13 and 14, and don’t miss the chance to watch Alabama’s top high school football talents. The North-South All-Star Classic will be broadcast live via the AHSAA TV Network (WOTM TV), the NFHS Network, and the AHSAA Radio Network.