By By Adam Robinson
sports editor
Considering that T.R. Miller Tiger head coach Jamie Riggs thought he would be driving a milk truck and watching his kids practice football like his dad did when he was in high school, Riggs has made a pretty good career for himself as a football coach.
That career was recognized Monday night in Montgomery as Riggs and eight other sports figures were inducted into the 20th class of the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame.
The 2010 class was inducted at a banquet at the Renaissance Hotel at the Convention Center in Montgomery.
Entering the Hall Monday with Riggs were George Baker, John Esslinger, Woodie Jackson, Dr. Lawrence Lemak, Steve Savarese, June Seals, Gene Taylor and Ron Watters.
A number of friends, family members, coaches, co-workers, former players and administration witnessed Riggs induction Monday night.
Tabbed as one of the most successful high school football coaches, Riggs has been head coach and athletic director at T.R. Miller High School since 1989. During his tenure, the Tigers have won four state championships (1991, 1994, 2000, 2002) and finished runner-up another four times (1990, 1995, 1996, 1998).
T.R. Miller has reached the state playoff semifinals 14 times in his 21-year tenure and won 117 games during the 1990s, the best of any high school in the AHSAA. His team won 27 games in a row in 1994-95 and went 10-2 in 2009.
Riggs has been named state coach of the year three times — in 1990, 2000 and 2002, and served as assistant coach in the Alabama-Mississippi Classic in 1992 and head coach in 1995.
Currently president of the Alabama Football Coaches Association, the T.R. Miller graduate has an overall head coaching record of 247-64-0 with 235 wins coming at his alma mater.
Current T.R. Miller principal Donnie Rotch said coach Riggs’ leadership has been evident not only at the local level but also at the state and national level.
Riggs joins former T.R. Miller coaches Mack Wood and Frank Cotten, both from the 1996 class, and former coach Alan Baker from the 2008 class. Michael Cheatham, also from the 2008 class, has ties to the Brewton area.
Riggs, 54, has been coaching for 32 total years and has been a head coach for 25 years, with 21 at Miller.
Tiger coach Marc Edge said despite Riggs’ impressive record, that is not the complete picture of Riggs.
Former Brewton resident and past president of the T.R. Miller Quarterback Club Mabry Cook was in attendance Monday.
Along other honors for Riggs, he was National Federation of State High School Association State Coach of the Year and in 2004 was named Alabama representative to the NFL Youth Football Summit in Canton, Ohio. Also in 2009, he was Brewton’s Citizen of the Year.