Pike Liberal Arts School annouces new head football coach

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Pike Liberal Arts School announced a new Athletic Director and Head Football Coach today.

As of Feb. 1, Phillip Coggins will assume the duties of both positions. Coggins’ coaching resume goes back 20 years and includes five years of head coaching experience.

“Coach Coggins came into a program that suffered years of losing seasons. His first year, they had a winning record of 7-4, and in year two, they were 12-2 and played in the 2A semifinals,” PLAS Foundation Board Chairman Cory Rushing said.

Most recently, Coggins served as the Defensive Coordinator at Chilton County High School. Before that, from 2019-21, he was the head coach at Billingsley High School. Over the three years at Billingsley, Coggins went 14-19 in the regular season and 10-8 in the playoffs.

Coggins also served as the head coach at Highland Home High School from 2017-18. He coached the team to the 2A State Semi-finals in 2018 against Luverne High School.

“Being a 2A program, we see Coach Coggins’ experience and reputation in our regional area as a significant advantage as we continue our transition into the Alabama High School Athletics Association,” Rushing said.

This announcement brings a search to fill the position that started in early October to an end.

“This was a lengthy and difficult process,” according to Cory Rushing, PLAS Foundation Board Chairman. “I want to thank our Search Committee, specifically Chairman Troy Weed, for ensuring an efficient, professional, and thorough process. We received over 40 inquiries which took many hours to extensively review and evaluate each candidate to ensure we were making the best decision.”

Rushing also thanked Charlie Scofield, who was named interim Head Football Coach and Athletic Director in September. “Coach Scofield provided leadership and stability, and I know the Pike family will join me in showing our appreciation for his willingness to serve during a difficult time.”

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