Hoover High School in Alabama placed head football coach Drew Gilmer on administrative leave earlier this week amid an investigation into program culture. This is after multiple videos from reveal problematic behavior during practice, before he coached his first game with the Bucs.
It is unlikely that Gilmer will be allowed to return.
One video shows a coach push a player to the ground and rip the helmet off of his head in rage.
Now @FootballScoop has received multiple videos that show at best bizarre behavior on the practice field as national prep powerhouse Hoover, Alabama, investigates its head coach & DC: https://t.co/uCgS1y0Y6B pic.twitter.com/D2e98bdYTB
— John Brice (@JohnDBrice1) August 6, 2024
A different video shows a different coach rip a different player’s helmet off of his head and launch it down the field. In that moment, with the player trying to get up from the ground, another coach comes up and thrust his hips in the player’s face.
This video is from a practice on the Hoover field. I am not saying any coach involved is one of the two coaches placed on leave. It is a quick video, you’ll see an adult/coach rip off a players helmet and throw it while another adult/coach does something odd to the players head.… pic.twitter.com/fRlAFLhFLR
— Ryan Brown (@RyanBrownLive) August 6, 2024
Alabama Representative Juandalynn Givan is pursuing legal action against the Hoover City School System on the state and federal level. She is doing so on behalf of the student-athlete.
The acts committed by Gilmer are pervasive, perverted, abusive, extreme, outrageous and beyond all possible bounds of human decency from someone who is deemed or defined as an educator in the public school system in the state of Alabama.
As you can imagine, the mother and family are devastated to the degree of shock and disbelief that this young student is forever harmed and will be adversely impacted for the rest of his life.
— Juandalynn Givan
Hoover, for those who don’t know, is a prominent program in the Yellowhammer State with a history of winning. The Bucs were featured on MTV reality show ‘Two-A-Days’ back in 2005, when they were led by former University of Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and controversial head coach Rush Propst.
In an effort to return to glory, Hoover hired Gilmer in January. The two-time Alabama state champion made the move from Clay-Chalkville and brought defensive coordinator Adam Helms with him.
Both coaches are currently suspended with less than three weeks until their first game.
The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities. We are taking this matter seriously and working diligently to resolve it promptly and fairly.
— Superintendent Dr. Kevin Maddox
Hoover emphasized suspensions were “made to ensure a thorough and impartial review of recent developments.” It will keep parents “informed of any developments as the investigation progresses.”
The odds of Gilmer keeping his job are slim— but not none. However, the actions depicted in the video are disgusting and the incoming lawsuits won’t help his case.