Hoover QB Mac Beason responds after coaches Drew Gilmer, Adam Helms placed on administrative leave

Hoover (Ala.) quarterback Mac Beason issued a response Tuesday night after coaches Drew Gilmer and Adam Helms were placed on administrative leave. Video surfaced showing the two seemingly harassing players during a practice.

The video, obtained by WKRG News 5 Sports, appears to show a coach humping a player while down on the field. It also shows another coach running up to a player and ripping his helmet off while knocking him to the ground. WKRG News 5 Sports identified the coach seemingly humping the player as Gilmer and Helms as the coach who pushes the player to the ground.

Beason argued the two coaches have the support of the roster and called on the school to keep Gilmer at the helm. He also noted although he coaches “a little differently,” he wins.

“We love Coach Gilmer and Coach Helms!” Beason wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Ask any player on the roster. They’ve done a lot for us and the Hoover program. If the players want him as our coach, we should be able to keep him! He might coach a little differently, but that’s why he wins!”

Hoover Schools addresses situation with football program

After the video surfaced, the school district responded. Hoover Schools superintendent Kevin Maddox acknowledged the situation and said the district is looking into the situation.

“The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities,” Maddox said in a statement. “We are taking this matter seriously and working diligently to resolve it promptly and fairly.”

Gilmer is in his first year as the school’s head coach, hired away from Clay-Chalkville after a considerable amount of success. He won two state titles there.

Hoover is one of the top schools in the state for football, a perennial powerhouse in the sport. That the school was able to pluck Gilmer from a school where he’d had so much success is evidence of that.

Gilmer was 81-12 in his previous stint before taking the Hoover job, with a perfect 14-0 season in 2023.

Now in a bit of a wait-and-see state, Hoover is slated to begin its 2024 football season against Spain Park on Friday, Aug. 30. According to data provided by the Massey Ratings, Hoover is projected to win 35-14. The Buccaneers have three players on their roster ranked in the On3 Industry Ranking, including three-star wide receiver Jonah Winston.

Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this report.