The Red Bay High School varsity football team has a new head coach, it was announced late last week.
Tyler Jeffreys, no stranger to Red Bay, formerly the head coach at Colbert Heights High School, was named as the new head coach of the Tigers on June 26. He takes over the program following the resignation of Heath Childers in May.
“This is where I grew up. (The RBHS football program) was really important then, and I want to make it important again,” Jeffreys told the Franklin Free Press. “I’m very happy to be back here.”
Jeffreys is the son of Dale Jeffreys, who coached at Red Bay from 1997 to 2011 and compiled a 114-59 overall record. In 15 years with the Tigers the senior Jeffreys won four region titles and took Red Bay to the playoffs 13 times, including a run to the Class 2A playoff semifinals in 2007.
“The greatest football programs in the state always have tradition, and I feel like my dad installed that when he was here,” Jeffreys said. “I feel like it’s important that we try to get back to that direction and install that same tradition. That’s a winning culture and a hard-work mentality.”
Dale Jeffreys left Red Bay after the 2011 season to coach at Colbert County, which is where Tyler Jeffreys played his high school ball. As a quarterback for the Indians, Jeffreys helped lead his team to deep playoff runs, set the school career record for passing yards and touchdown passes, and was named an Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State Honorable Mention as a senior in 2015.
After graduating from Colbert County, Jeffreys spent two years on the University of North Alabama football squad before earning his degree in 2020.
Jeffreys coaching career started at his alma mater where he spent two seasons as quarterbacks coach. He then moved on to Colbert Heights where he was the defensive coordinator for one season before being named the Wildcats’ head coach in 2023. In two campaigns at the helm of the CHHS program, Jeffreys’ teams compiled a 5-15 overall record.
Coming into the fold late in the summer, Jeffreys said his top priorities leading into his first campaign at RBHS are implementing his system and building the desired mentality.
“We’re going to be tough, hard-nosed, physical. I believe in running the football, but we’re going to be multiple and we’ve got to play to our kids’ strengths, whatever that may be,” he said. “But the main thing is, I want us to be tough and I want us to be physical.
“We’ve basically got two weeks left before the start of fall…so we’re going to work on installing stuff and continue to work on fundamentals. That’s what wins games, not just the plays,” he added.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I’m very proud of this place and just ready to get started.”
Red Bay is scheduled to host Lamar County in its season opener on Friday, August 29.
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