Zach Golson, the head football coach at Mary G. Montgomery High School in Semmes, Alabama, has been handed a one-year suspension from coaching any AHSAA-member program for the 2026-27 academic year.
The suspension stems from a recruiting violation that involved contacting eighth-grade students who were not zoned to attend the school, a breach that was uncovered after images from the recruitment event were posted on social media.
Recruiting Breach Exposed
The incident came to light when photographs of the recruitment gathering circulated online, prompting an investigation that quickly escalated to a formal review by the AHSAA.
Penalties and Probation
As part of the penalty, Mary G. Montgomery will serve a one-year postseason ban and is required to pay a monetary fine, while the varsity football program will be placed on restrictive probation for the upcoming 2026 season.
Broader Implications
The case underscores the strict enforcement of recruiting regulations across the state, reminding coaches and schools that contact with out-of-zone students is prohibited under national high school federation rules.
Under National Federation of State High School Associations rules, any coach who communicates with a student enrolled at another institution is barred from coaching at any AHSAA member school for a year, a standard the association applied to Golson’s case.
The school serves roughly 2,000 students in grades nine through twelve and competes in Division 7A of Alabama high school football, a classification the team reached after a 10-2 record and a No. 15 state ranking in the previous season.
Golson’s tenure had produced a 37-10 record over the past four seasons, earning him Class 7A Coach of the Year honors in 2022 and 2023, achievements that made the violation all the more surprising to the local community.
The disciplinary actions also include a permanent ineligibility clause for any student found to have participated in unauthorized recruiting communications, ensuring that future infractions will be met with strict enforcement.