Executive Director Jack Wood and President Terry Curtis of the Alabama Football Coaches Association are proud to announce that Piedmont’s offensive line coach Patrick Walker was named the ALFCA Class 3A Assistant of the Year. Nominations for the awards were accepted from the association’s membership in each of the AHSAA’s seven classifications.

Walker, who has coached 13 seasons under head coach Steve Smith, including seven at Piedmont and six at Cedar Bluff, had to replace departed standout offensive linemen Mason Langley, Krae Keener and Javien Woods from the Bulldogs state-title teams of 2015 and 2016.   The 2017 front five paved the way for 6,073 total yards of offensive and generated 74 touchdowns.  Bulldog Quarterback Cardavion Myers and feature back Lee Stanley benefited from Walkers work as the senior duo garnered first team all-state offensive honors.  

Wakers career list of all-state offensive lineman include Mason Langley (Jacksonville State), Krae Keener (Olivet Nazarene), Austin Bishop (West Alabama), and Jameson Trammell (West Alabama).  Langley was chosen as the Class 3A Lineman of the Year in 2016.  At Cedar Bluff, Walker’s coaching duties included managing the offensive and defensive lines.  His list of all-state players from Cedar Bluff include Austin Hayes, Rodney Guins, Derek Chesnut, T.J. Henderson, Lance McCullough and Robby Reed.

Both Walker, a 1989 Cherokee County graduate, and Smith played for the legendary Bobby Joe Johnson.  Johnson was inducted into the Alabama High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1999.  That same year, the Cherokee County football field in Centre was named in his honor.