Sammie Coates, a former NFL receiver, has been hired as the new football coach at
Columbia (Huntsville, Ala.) as the program looks to snap the longest losing streak in high school football history at 91 games.
Columbia, which hasn't won since 2015, ended the 2024 season with a 21-14 loss to Hazel Green in one of the closest games during the 10-year streak. The Eagles are currently going through spring drills.
"My goal is to not only guide these young men to be just great football players, but to be great people," Coates said when he was hired in late January.
Columbia's complete schedule hasn't been posted on MaxPreps, but the Eagles have dates with Muscle Shoals (9-3 in 2024) on Sept. 5, Hartselle (9-3) on Sept. 11, Decatur (2-8) on Oct. 3, Athens (8-3) on Oct. 17 and Hazel Green (3-7) on Oct. 30.
Coates was a three-sport standout at
Leroy (Ala.), playing football, basketball and baseball for the Bears. He was at Auburn for three seasons and played in the 2014 BCS National Championship, a loss to Florida State. He was also on the Tiger team that beat Alabama with the infamous "Kick Six" in the Iron Bowl.
Drafted 87th overall in 2015 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, he played for four NFL teams over five seasons before moving on to the CFL for four more years. He had two catches in Pittsburgh's 36-17 loss in the 2016 AFC Championship game to eventual Super Bowl champion New England.
"Sammie Coates is a man of character, integrity, and he is committed to
making a difference in the lives of our student athletes," Columbia Principal Dr.
Thomas Jones said. "We are proud to welcome him
to Columbia."
Previously, Coates was the receivers/returners coach at Wise College and also had coaching stints at Ohio Northern University and at
Jensen Beach (Fla.).
Longest losing streaks
91 — Columbia (Ala.), 2015-present
82 — Glascock County (Gibson, Ga.), 1990-99
80 — Davis (Houston, Texas), 1985-93
79 — Sturgis (S.D.), 1997-2006
77 — Diamond Hill (Texas), 2010-17
72 — Iberia (Mo.), 1965-74
70 — Glenville (Minn.), 1978-86
69 — Red Boiling Springs (Tenn.), 1986-93
69 — Edinburg (Ind.), 2002-09
68 — R.C. Hatch (Uniontown, Ala.), 1997-2005
66 — Barbour County (Clayton, Ala.), 2013-21
64 — Savanna/West Carroll, 1996-2003
64 — Fort Wayne Elmhurst (Ind.), 1996-2002
