Red Bay head football coach Dale Jeffreys led the Tigers through 15 seasons and 13 playoff appearances, including 2011

J.R. Tidwell
jr.tidwell@fct.wpengine.com

For Red Bay head football coach Dale Jeffreys, it is finally time to answer the call home.
Jeffreys announced at the annual Red Bay sports banquet Sunday that he would be leaving to take over the head-coaching job, formerly held by Jackie Ferguson, at Colbert County High School, his alma mater, in Leighton.
“It was a tough decision,” Jeffreys said. “My wife and kids were born here [in Red Bay], and I hated to break that up.”
Jeffreys has been a great head coach for the Tigers, compiling a 114-59 overall record over 15 seasons at Red Bay, with a 10-2 record this past season.
The Tigers have also made 13 playoff appearances in those years, making it to the second round of the 2011 postseason where Red Bay was put out by Fultondale.
This is not the first time that Colbert County has attempted to hire the alumnus.
“I played there in high school and I coached over there as an assistant in college,” Jeffreys said.
“They have contacted me about coming over there in the past, but it hasn’t worked out before.”
The Indians went 3-7 last season, making it their third-straight losing year. The new hire makes Jeffreys the third head coach in four years at Colbert County.
“They are in a rebuilding phase,” Jeffreys said.
“I think it will be a challenge to build them back up, but it will also be fun.”
When it comes to rebuilding a team, taking what one has already learned at a winning program and applying it elsewhere is a good strategy.
“I’m going to try to teach them [Colbert County] what we’ve been doing over here,” Jeffreys said.
“I’m going to go in and establish a work ethic, get them to be aggressive and build them up with an eye on the future