Ernie Willingham
Ernie Willingham attended and graduated from Collinsville high school. He was the head basketball coach at Appalachian from 1984-91, Albertville 1991-93 and Appalachian through the 1998 school year. Willingham landed his first football head coaching job at Collinsville in 1998. His teams over the next five seasons went 31-24. His teams reached the playoffs in all but his last season. In 2003 he moved back at Appalachian where he served as the head basketball coach before taking over the football program in 2004 for the next seven seasons. His teams at Appalachian finished with a combined 51-30 record with each qualifying for the playoffs. Coach Willingham moved back to his hometown in Collinsville in 2013. Overall his record stands at 165-104 in twenty-four seasons as a football coach.
Programs Coached
| Program | Years | Record | PF | PA | Playoffs | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collinsville | 2021-26 | 36-20 | 1816 | 1335 | 0-4 | 22-13 |
| Collinsville | 2013-19 | 49-30 | 2297 | 1679 | 4-5 | 29-19 |
| Appalachian | 2004-10 | 51-30 | 2177 | 1375 | 4-7 | 36-13 |
| Collinsville | 1998-02 | 31-24 | 1333 | 1036 | 3-4 | 19-6 |
Season by Season
| Year | Program | Class | Record | PF | PA | Playoffs | Region | Region rec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Collinsville | 2A | 2-0 | 73 | 8 | R8 | 1-0 | |
| 2025 | Collinsville | 3A | 8-3 | 417 | 291 | 0-1 | R8 | 5-2 |
| 2024 | Collinsville | 3A | 7-4 | 418 | 232 | 0-1 | R8 | 4-3 |
| 2023 | Collinsville | 2A | 8-3 | 424 | 210 | 0-1 | R7 | 5-2 |
| 2022 | Collinsville | 2A | 8-3 | 327 | 284 | 0-1 | R7 | 5-2 |
| 2021 | Collinsville | 3A | 3-7 | 157 | 310 | R7 | 2-4 | |
| 2019 | Collinsville | 2A | 12-2 | 540 | 179 | 3-1 | R8 | 6-1 |
| 2018 | Collinsville | 2A | 10-2 | 424 | 154 | 1-1 | R8 | 6-1 |
| 2017 | Collinsville | 2A | 4-6 | 269 | 259 | R6 | 3-4 | |
| 2016 | Collinsville | 2A | 6-5 | 228 | 216 | 0-1 | R6 | 4-3 |
| 2015 | Collinsville | 2A | 6-5 | 312 | 332 | 0-1 | R7 | 3-3 |
| 2014 | Collinsville | 2A | 4-6 | 230 | 276 | R7 | 1-5 | |
| 2013 | Collinsville | 1A | 7-4 | 294 | 263 | 0-1 | R7 | 6-2 |
| 2010 | Appalachian | 1A | 8-3 | 338 | 158 | 0-1 | R6 | 6-1 |
| 2009 | Appalachian | 1A | 10-3 | 449 | 185 | 2-1 | R5 Title | 6-1 |
| 2008 | Appalachian | 1A | 10-3 | 391 | 129 | 2-1 | R5 Title | 7-0 |
| 2007 | Appalachian | 1A | 5-6 | 222 | 219 | 0-1 | R6 | 4-3 |
| 2006 | Appalachian | 1A | 5-6 | 203 | 218 | 0-1 | R6 | 4-3 |
| 2005 | Appalachian | 1A | 8-3 | 344 | 206 | 0-1 | R6 | 5-2 |
| 2004 | Appalachian | 1A | 5-6 | 230 | 260 | 0-1 | R6 | 4-3 |
| 2002 | Collinsville | 1A | 3-7 | 165 | 238 | R6 | 3-4 | |
| 2001 | Collinsville | 1A | 7-5 | 288 | 246 | 1-1 | R6 | 6-1 |
| 2000 | Collinsville | 1A | 6-5 | 336 | 184 | 0-1 | R6 | 6-1 |
| 1999 | Collinsville | 1A | 10-2 | 320 | 164 | 2-1 | R14 Title | 2-0 |
| 1998 | Collinsville | 1A | 5-5 | 224 | 204 | 0-1 | R14 Title | 2-0 |