By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

Alan Beckett has been named as High School Relations and Offensive Consultant for the Faulkner University football program in Montgomery. The announcement was made via the Faulkner Football Twitter page late Wednesday evening.

Beckett will join one of his former players in 2009 Collinsville graduate Rob Gray’s staff. Gray was named the head coach of the Eagles in 2021.

Beckett spent the past two seasons as the head football coach at Cedar Bluff. He went a combined 10-12 in those two years (6-5 in 2021, 4-7 in 2022), including a playoff appearance in both seasons.

“I’m so excited about being a part of what Robert Gray has going on at Faulkner,” Beckett said. “Coach Gray is a very special person. He has a personal story that movies are made about. I believe in that guy. He’s born to be a coach. He impacts lives and wins.”

Several of Beckett’s former high school players are currently at Faulkner including Shaun Vincent, Dawson Moseley, Isaiah Taylor and Caleb Jones.

“I can’t wait to reunite with those guys,” Beckett said.

Beckett is grateful for the opportunity Cedar Bluff afforded him the past two years. He called Cedar Bluff “a destination job.”

“I love the community. It is a very special place,” Beckett said. 

The son of Cherokee County Hall of Fame coach Bobby Beckett, Beckett came to the Tigers after spending the 2020 football season at Class 7A Gadsden City High School, where he served as offensive coordinator.

Prior to that, he was the head coach at Class 1A Winterboro, where he guided the Bulldogs to 34 wins in seven seasons (2013-19). He is the only football coach to lead that program to three consecutive playoff appearances.

Beckett began his head coaching career at Collinsville in 2007. He spent six years as head coach of the Panthers, where he guided them to a 43-23 record, including four playoff appearances and two region championships. His best season at Collinsville came in 2011, where he guided the Panthers to an 11-2 mark.

In 15 total seasons, Beckett has an overall record of 87-73.

“We’ve gone into two schools (Collinsville and Winterboro) and turned around programs in rough shape,” Beckett said. “We had the blueprint. Unless you are in the portal, it takes time (with) relationships, player development and consistency. I’ve always used a stair step method. I like to raise the expectations yearly.

“(Class) 1A is a little different. You can’t unload the roster and start over. We could do that in big schools, but at this level, we have to gradually win over players a little at a time. Before you know it, it’s a new set of expectations and the results come as well. In this case, back where Coach (Jonathan) Mac (McWhorter) had it.”

Even though he’s departing, Beckett feels Cedar Bluff’s future is bright.

“From building programs twice, I can tell you that the eighth, ninth and 10th (grades) will be pretty good,” he said.