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A move to name Ronnie Cottrell as T.R. Miller High School’s newest head coach took place Tuesday by members of the Brewton City School Board.
In a press release late Tuesday, the decision was official.
“Brewton City Schools is thrilled to announce the appointment of Ronnie Cottrell as the Athletic Director and head coach of the T.R. Miller Tigers football team,” the release revealed. “A distinguished alumnus and former player, Coach Cottrell brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to his alma mater.
“Coach Cottrell, a graduate of T.R. Miller High School, began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater. He further honed his skills as a student assistant at Troy University. Over the years, he has held head coaching positions at various high schools, including Kinston, Flomaton, W.S. Neal, Carroll, Alma Bryant, Chickasaw, and most recently, Mobile Christian. At Mobile Christian, he led the team to a state championship and an impressive 15-0 finish in the 2023 season.
“In 2024, Coach Cottrell ventured into collegiate coaching, becoming the inaugural head football coach at Lighthouse Christian College in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Despite the challenges of building a new program, he successfully led the team through its first season.
“Throughout his head coaching career, Coach Cottrell has amassed a remarkable record of 176-99, securing region championships at multiple schools and winning two state championships. His dedication to developing young athletes both on and off the field has earned him widespread respect in the coaching community.”
Cottrell expressed his pleasure in being named to the head spot with the Tigers.
“Returning to T.R. Miller High School is a full-circle moment for me,” said Coach Cottrell. “I’m honored to lead the Tigers and build upon the rich tradition of excellence that this program embodies. Coming back to Brewton — the place where it all began — is a special homecoming, and I’m excited to give back to the community that shaped me.”
Cottrell is raring and ready for the job as the coach to replace retiring TRM Head Coach Brent Hubbert.
“I’m honored just to be considered for this position,” Cottrell said. “This is the job I have most desired ever since I left college football.”
Cottrell said his reason for applying for the job is simple — history.
“There is so much history at T.R. Miller High School and Tiger football including a tradition of hard work,” Cottrell said. “I’ve always been impressed by how hard everybody always worked. I saw the hard work of players like Jamie Riggs, Alan Baker, Doug Norsworthy and others as they prepared for a game. Seeing their hard work encouraged me to work hard, too.”
Cottrell said being impressed by upper classmen with their work ethic has continued to impress athletes as they come into the program.
“I talked to Walter Lewis recently,” Cottrell said. “He told me that he was impressed seeing the class before his working hard at getting it right. That just shows that each class of athletes — from freshmen up to seniors — has an impact on the next. We got to see players like Mike Sasser, Bucky Phillippi, Dowe Aughtman, John Hart and so many others showed that work ethic and discipline that Miller was known for.”
Cottrell said the hard work has continued as a big tradition at T.R. Miller and he wants to see that legacy build new athletes.
“Jamie (Riggs) set such a high bar of excellence with his 27 years of coaching,” Cottrell said. “And the team Coach (Brent) Hubbert is leaving has strived to reach that bar of excellence under his leadership. I want to see that continue at T.R. Miller.”
Cottrell said the number of players who stand out is staggering when looking at the history of TRM football.
“I know I didn’t even come close to naming all of the players who made their mark at T.R. Miller,” Cottrell said. “There are so many legacy players that have passed through those halls, it’s hard to remember them all on a moment’s notice.”
Building on the history at T.R. Miller, Cottrell said he is ready to get to work.
“My plan is to hit the ground running,” Cottrell said. “I want to see the hard work continue at T.R. Miller and want people to get interested in T.R. Miller football on a higher level.”
Cottrell most recently has served as head coach for the Lighthouse College Makos in Gulf Breeze, Fla. where he recruited players from both T.R. Miller and W.S. Neal to be part of the Makos team.