Kenneth McKinney

Kenneth McKinneys fabled career has included three state championships, six championship game appearances and when he retired, he was the winningest active coach in Alabama. He played football, baseball and basketball for four years at Corinth MS high school before attending Northeast Mississippi Junior College. He graduated from Mississippi State. McKinney served as an assistant coach at Belmont High School in Mississippi before coming to Alabama. His first head coaching experience in Alabama came in 1966 at Buckhorn High School where he spent two seasons. His next stop came at Hazel Green High School for five years that produced a 31-17-2 record. Coach McKinney took over the program at Randolph High School in Huntsville for two seasons in 1974-75, producing an 8-9-1 slate. He seemed to find a home at Stevenson High School upon accepting the head coaching duties in the fall of 1976. His first team finished 11-1 and in 1977, Stevenson played for the State Championship with a 13-1 record. They defeated Handley 17-16 in a close game to claim the Schools first ever title. McKinneys 1979 team went a perfect 14-0, beating Randolph County High School 9-0 for their second championship. His record at Stevenson was 76-10 from 1976-82. His Panthers reached the playoffs five times and won five area titles during his seven years with the program. The 1981 team lost in the 2A State Championship game to Dadeville. McKinney would coach for a year in Mississippi during the 1983 season. In 1984, he took over the program at Lamar County High School. McKinney took the Bulldogs from a 1-9 record to a 14-1 record in his first year in Vernon in one of the biggest turnarounds in state prep history. That team won the Class 3A State Championship by defeating Randolph County 29-0. His 1984, 1986 and 1992 teams at Lamar County finished with 13-1 records. McKinney was coach in the 1980 Alabama All-Star game in Tuscaloosa. McKinneys overall football record is 217-109-3. His teams were 33-11 in playoff games and won eight area crowns. At this time his record in Mississippi is unavailable.