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Benjamin Russell (Ala.) hires head coach away from in-state powerhouse

Wg0vf-nP_400x400by:Keegan Pope•01/27/25•

bykeeganpope

Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser
Montgomery Catholic head coach Kirk Johnson pumps up his players during warm ups during the Class 5A football state championship at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. Montgomery Catholic leads Moody 14-0 at halftime. © Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the top high school football programs in Alabama over the past decade is looking for a new head coach.

On Monday, WSFA-12 broke the news that Montgomery Catholic head coach Kirk Johnson was leaving the school to be the new head coach at Alexander City’s Benjamin Russell High. His move comes after 12 years with the Knights, including the last four as head coach.

He led the program to a remarkable 55-2 record during that span, including back-to-back state titles in 2023 and 2024 at the 4A and 5A levels. He was also named Class 5A coach of the year in 2024 after an undefeated 14-0 campaign.

He takes over a program at Russell coming a disappointing 5-6 season in 2024, but had a combined 18-6 record the previous two seasons at the 6A level. The Wildcats also feature one of the nation’s top 2026 recruits in wide receiver Cederian Morgan.

Johnson’s path follows one oddly similar to his predecessor at Montgomery Catholic, Aubrey Blackwell. Four years ago, Blackwell left the program to take the head job at Russell as well. However, the latter only spent one season at Russell — where he amassed a 3-7 record — before moving on to another coaching job in Mississippi. They replaced him Smitty Grider, who went 23-12 over three seasons before the school announced in early December that they were moving on from him as head coach.

“It’s very similar to Aubrey,” Catholic athletic director Daniel Veres told the Montgomery Independent. “He believes this is the step he needs to take to get to where he wants to be. I’m astounded that he’s been able to do what he’s done in his four years of being the head coach. To become the winningest coach ever (at Catholic) in just four years and to have the best winning percentage in the state in this decade is pretty astounding.”

His tenure included a 39-0 record in regular-season games and a 27-0 record in region games. The Knights currently own the state’s longest winning streak at 29 games.