10 out-of-the-box possibilities to be the new AHSAA executive director

This is an opinion piece.

Alabama High School Athletic Association executive director Alvin Briggs announced last week that he was retiring from the position effective Sept. 2.

Briggs is just the fifth full-time executive director in the history of the AHSAA and the first minority director.

In the last week, I’ve received a lot of questions about who might be next? It’s certainly a critical hire with issues like NIL on the horizon.

Honestly, I have no idea who might be next. Remember, I’m the same guy that listed 20 possible candidates to be the next Hoover football coach in December.

One of the few guys who didn’t make my list?

New Hoover football coach Drew Gilmer, who took the job after leading Clay-Chalkville to two 6A state titles in three years. A great choice by the Bucs. A bad miss by me not having him on my list.

So, I thought I would attack this position in a little different way and list 10 out-of-the-box hires to be the new executive director.

Yes, the one thing I do know is that none of these 10 will be the new boss. At least, I think I know that.

But let’s have a little fun.

Charles Barkley

Former Leeds, Auburn and NBA basketball star

The Round Mound of Rebound knows his home state well, comes back often and is not afraid to speak his mind. His press conferences would be legendary.

Gene Chizik

National champion Auburn football coach

Chizik recruited Alabama well during his time at Auburn and knows the AHSAA rules. He also had a son who played multiple sports at the Class 7A level at Auburn High, so he would be familiar with some of the issues facing the state.

Cliff Ellis

Legendary college basketball coach

Ellis coached at both Auburn and South Alabama in the state and finished his career with 833 victories. He retired this year DURING this past season at Coastal Carolina, citing frustration over the new world in college athletics with the NIL and the transfer portal. Ellis could help guard against NIL on the high school level.

Randy Kennedy

Former Chelsea High letterman, current Mobile radio talk show host

No media member has likely seen more high school football games in the last three decades than Kennedy. He knows the state and the rules well, though there already is opposition to his potential candidacy.

“Kennedy wouldn’t last five minutes in that chair,” said UMS-Wright football coach and incoming Central Board president Terry Curtis.

In an exclusive interview, Kennedy told AL.com he has not yet been contacted about the position.

Condoleezza Rice

Former U.S. Secretary of State

The Birmingham native is the current director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. I didn’t have her as a candidate for that job either. She grew up the daughter of a high school football coach and rose to the highest levels of power in our nation. Rice also served on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee from 2013-2017. She obviously is well versed in athletics.

Nick Saban

Retired national champion football coach

I mean, come on. You knew he would be on the list, didn’t you? Coach needs something to occupy his time when he’s not on ESPN. He’s been mentioned as the right guy to fix issues with NIL and the transfer portal in college football. Why not start in this state? He already knows all the high school coaches. It’s a natural! Salary could be a holdup.

Jeff Sessions

Former U.S. Senator, former U.S. Attorney General, former Alabama attorney general

Who could be more qualified? Sessions was born in Selma, attended Wilcox County High in Camden and Huntingdon College and earned his law degree at the University of Alabama. He served as attorney general in the Trump administration, so he’s used to facing criticism, which every AHSAA executive director faces at some point.

Richard Shelby

Former U.S. Senator

A Birmingham native, Shelby served in the U.S. Senate from 1987 to 2023. He has chaired multiple committees, including the Senate Appropriations, Intelligence, Banking and Rules Committees. He is Alabama’s longest serving U.S. Senator. He graduated from Hueytown High and received his undergraduate and law degrees from Alabama. Age could be a factor. He’s 89.

Tommy Tuberville

Former Auburn football coach, current U.S. Senator

Tuberville was not afraid to take chances as a college football coach as his “Riverboat Gambler” moniker attests. He also clearly hasn’t been afraid to take a stand as a U.S. Senator. He recruited the state well during his successful tenure as the Tigers’ coach, and he has yet to announce that he would have to leave the Senate in a pine box.

Roll Tide Willie

Unofficial Alabama mascot

Roll Tide Willie may have helped close the deal in signing two-time Mr. Football Ryan Williams and his trademark slogan could be carefully crafted to fit the AHSAA instead of the University of Alabama.

“Blitz, AHSAA, Blitz!”

Father vs. son

Citronelle basketball coach Marcus Caster coached against his son, Jackson star Micah Caster, twice this season. How did he do?

“As a father, I’m thinking I know how to stop my son,” the coach said this week. “Long story short, Micah had 20 points at halftime, and we were down by 19. The next time I said we are going to do something, going to total deny him the ball. We held him to 13, but they still won the game. Of course, they only lost two games all year.”

Micah Caster and the 30-2 Aggies defeated his father and Citronelle 76-37 on Dec. 11 and 75-53 on Jan. 15 on the way to the Class 4A state title.

“That was probably one of the funniest things ever,” Micah said. “If it wasn’t for my coach (Anthony Hayes), I probably would have had 40 in the first game. In the second game, he had a better game plan, and he denied me all game. It kind of worked, but we still won.”

What were the rides home like after the game for the Caster family?

“It was kind of me telling him the good things about his team and the bad things and him doing the same for me,” Micah said.

So, like you asking him why he played a certain defense against you?

“Exactly like that,” Micah said.

Prayers

Mike Argo, retired HS football coach: Continued recovery from double lung transplant.

William Booth, longtime Hartselle baseball coach: Booth will miss Hartselle’s chase for another state title due to illness.

Thought for the week

“Our interactions with others matter. Our actions, our words and even our attitudes almost always either confirm or contradict our testimony. The world is watching.”

Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at bthomas@al.com. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.