Piedmont, AL – Blanchard, Smith’s defensive coordinator for 17 years, elevated to interim head coach, ‘definitely’ interested in becoming full-time replacement
By Joe Medley
Congratulatory calls came like a hurry-up offense at James Blanchard on Wednesday … family, friends, fellow coaches and former Alabama secretary of state John Merrill. “He just congratulated me and said I deserve it,” Piedmont High School’s newly named interim head football coach said. “John’s been a part of the community here at Piedmont. I’m real good friends with him. He’s a super guy. “He just called to congratulate me and just hope they pull the trigger on the head job. Everybody says I deserve it, and I think I do, too.”
Blanchard, Steve Smith’s defensive coordinator for all 17 years Smith served as Piedmont High’s head football coach, has been elevated to interim head coach, Piedmont principal Dr. Adam Clemons said. Blanchard will run the program “until the position is filled,” Clemons said. Smith announced Jan. 13 that he has accepted an offer to become Westbrook Christian’s athletics director and head football coach. Smith will continue to serve as Piedmont’s athletics director until the end of the spring semester. Smith threw his full support behind Blanchard as his replacement at Piedmont.
“I will be very public and vocal with my support for Coach Blanchard to get the opportunity to move into the head coach’s position here,” he said. “Now, I won’t have any say so in that decision. That’s what the Board of Education is for, but he would be a slam-dunk recommendation from my end. “I’m so appreciative of the job he’s done all 17 years with me.”
Clemons said last week that there’s no hurry to hire Smith’s replacement. “We are taking our time,” he said. “We will post the job next month (February) and then pick the right candidate.It will likely be a few months before we announce.” Current interim duties major in managing offseason weight lifting. Blanchard has run the middle-school and football weight rooms for years 17 years. “It’s nothing that I haven’t been doing,” he said. “I’m in the weight room, and I’ve kind of been over the kids, and stuff like that. As far as that, nothing’s really changed. [read more…]
