Lyle Darnell

Lyle Kenneth Darnell coached high school football in Alabama for 41 years, and wouldnt have had it any other way. The Arab native coached at nine different schools during his career. Darnell attended Arab High School, where he played football, basketball, baseball and track under coach Tom Mehard. Darnell was a standout baseball and football player for the Arab Knights. As a player he received All-County honors in four sports in both his junior and senior years. He accepted a scholarship offer from Auburn University to play football after graduating from Arab in 1952. But there was a catch. Auburn wanted him to play football at a junior college for two years before arriving on campus. He went to Decatur, Mississippi and played at the junior college there. After playing one season, Darnell transferred to Jacksonville State. He played football and baseball for the Gamecocks from 1953 to 1956 and graduated with a degree in education from JSU in 1956. He later earned a Masters degree at Livingston State. Following graduation, Coach E.C. Wilson offered him a job as his assistant coach at Glencoe. Darnell remained at Glencoe until he accepted the offensive coordinator job at Clay County High School in 1959 under head coach Billy Hugh Hudson. In 1960, Darnell accepted the head coaching position at Hanceville. Darnells first head coaching job was difficult and he finished 18-17-4 during the four football seasons at Hanceville. He took the top position at Thompson High School in 1964. Thompson had lost 33 consecutive games and was seeking a new football coach. Darnell coached two seasons at Thompson, going 5-4 in 1964, and 5-5 in 1965. Darnell accepted the head coaching position at Glencoe High School in 1968 when his mentor and longtime head coach Wilson decided to retire. Darnell took over the program, and stayed there for 12 years. He led Glencoe to its lone State Championship in 1973 when the Yellow Jackets defeated Florala 24-14 for the title. The Yellow Jackets finished the 1973 season with a perfect 13-0 record. He posted a 97-28-2 record at Glencoe in 12 seasons as the head coach. Darnell left Glencoe for Scottsboro in 1980 to take over a struggling program. Darnell was named coach of the year in 1980 in his only season there. The next year he moved to Etowah for a single season before going to Pell City for five seasons beginning in 1982. Darnell would return to Scottsboro in 1987, where he retired following the 1989 season. Darnell returned to the sidelines in 1991 as an assistant at Gadsden High School. He coached one season (1993) at Gordon Central High School in Calhoun, Georgis with a 3-7 record. Darnell would serve as offensive coordinator at Boaz from 1994 to 1997. Darnells overall football coaching record stands at 186-105-6 with three area and region titles in Alabama. Darnell was named Coach of the Year by the ASWA in 1986. He was inducted into the Alabama High School Athletic Associations Hall of Fame in 1995.