High School

Defending Alabama High School Football Team Has New Head Coach

Moody names former Alabama standout Kyle Tatum new head football coach

Dana Becker

Kyle Tatum has been named the new head football coach at Moody High School.
Kyle Tatum has been named the new head football coach at Moody High School. / Moody High School/X

The defending Class 5A Alabama high school football state champions finally have a new head football coach.

Moody High School announced the hiring of Kyle Tatum to replace Jake Ganus. The Blue Devils finished 13-2 this past season under Ganus, claiming the first state football championship in program history with a 25-0 win over Vigor.

Ganus took over as the new head football coach of Pell City shortly after the state championship game.

“I am extremely excited,” Tatum told the Trussville Tribune. “I am overwhelmed with the support and for this opportunity. I have been looking and praying for this for years. I have watched Moody grow over the years and I am honored.” 

“Moody family, I am grateful to be here and I appreciate you welcoming me with open arms and we are going to put a product out on the field that you can be proud of.”

New Moody Head Football Coach Played At Alabama

Following a standout high school career at Prattville as a defensive tackle, Tatym enrolled at the University of Alabama. He moved to the offensive side of the ball and played tackle in 2004, earning academic All-American honors the season before.

In 2011, Tatum entered the coaching ranks, starting out as a graduate assistant at Texas State for Dennis Franchione. He was elevated twice, coaching tight ends in 2012 and the defensive line from 2013-15.

Tatum moved to UAB in 2016 to serve as the strength and conditioning coach before shifting back to position coaching with the defensive line for the Blazers. Prior to taking over at Moody, Tatum was an assistant coach at Briarwood Christian.

Moody Returns 3,000-Yard Quarterback, Top Wide Receiver

Quarterback Jake Lowery led Moody to gold as a junior, throwing for 3,097 yards and 35 touchdowns while completing almost 70 percent of his passes. They do graduate 1,000-yard rushers Lekamren Meadows and Kevin James, as sophomore Justin Hill, Jr. is the leading returning rusher.

Jalijah Rutledge had 60 receptions for 1,132 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior this past fall.

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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