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The state of Alabama is the latest to crack down on recruiting within high school football, and Mary G. Montgomery head coach Zach Golson has been suspended for the upcoming season.
You might be wondering what kind of recruiting violations would end up causing a coach to be escorted out of school after being placed on administrative leave when allegations began to surface.
Well, in my area of Semmes, Alabama, keeping a secret or not turning to social media to report the latest gossip is essentially a rite of passage.
Located just outside of Mobile, home of Hank Aaron, Ozzie Smith, Jake Peavy, JaMarcus Russell, Tee Martin, Satchel Paige and many other legends, Mary G. Montgomery has made a lot of noise over the past four years under coach Zach Golson.
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During his time as head coach, Golson had compiled a 37-10 record at the Division 7A level of Alabama high school football, which also put a target on his back from rival coaches in the area and state.
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Zach Golson, MGM head coach (Mary G. Montgomery Athletics)
Honestly, during my time at Davidson High School, MGM was one of those games that you knew would be an easy night on the field, although I'm not going to act like I was playing.
You could catch me on the football field, and even then I wouldn't take the field until we had built up at least a three-point lead.
Well, let's get back to the reason why Mary G. Montgomery will not have her head coach for next season.
While returning home last month to visit family, as well as taking a trip down I-10 to a college that shall not be named (future story), the MGM Vikings were mentioned numerous times as the latest rumor of strange irregularities in high school recruiting.
Just think of the show 'Friday Night Lights' and 'Buddy Garrity'.
According to some people who couldn't resist the opportunity to spread some gossip about things I'd missed, MGM head coach Zach Golson supposedly hosted an event for eighth graders who intended to play in high school next season.
FOX10 News in Mobile, Alabama, reported that a principal at an opposing school turned over MGM's football program.
The problem is that MGM's location also coincides with schools like Blount High, Baker, and even Vigor, which leads to some interesting recruiting tactics being used if you're not within a certain zoning area. If you are in the Blount housing area, that is the school you will attend.
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So if a coach had to maneuver a few things to get a player into his district, and I'm not implying that Zach Golson did this, you can see how opposing coaches would get upset.
Just think of that scene from the show “Friday Night Lights” when “Buddy” put up a fake mailbox to allow some talented players to use the 'house' as their home address so they could play for the Dillon Panthers. If you remember, this was the reason Luke Cafferty had to play for East Dillon, which turned out to be a blessing for coach Eric Taylor.
Brad Leland plays Buddy Garrity and Kyle Chandler plays Coach Eric Taylor in “Texas Anyway” episode 12 of Friday Night Lights. (Bill Records/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)
So MGM obviously had to turn themselves in for recruiting violations.
In coach Zach Golson's case, a signing day ceremony that included kids who weren't in his district and was spread on social media ended up costing him a year of coaching.
As it turns out, this would be all the evidence the opposing schools needed to turn Golson over, which led to him being placed on administrative leave, as well as being ordered to leave school grounds. He was then suspended for the entire 2026-2027 season.
I know what you're probably thinking and yes, this seems a little excessive. But high school football is obviously quite competitive, to say the least.
After the school discovered that evidence of this supposedly botched ceremony existed, and the Alabama High School Athletic Association had already been informed about the event, Mary G. Montgomery officials confessed to recruiting violations.
Not only was the school placed on probation for the upcoming season, but they will not be allowed to participate in the postseason, thanks to a ridiculous ceremony for eighth graders. And, if an opposing team were to lose to MGM, the game will not count toward their overall record in the Division 6A, Region 1 standings.
For students who participated in the ceremony and were not in the MGM district, they will have to play for the school located within their housing zone.
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So, due to the actions of their now-suspended head coach, who is known for being a great guy, the MGM players are essentially playing a season of exhibition games. This is the worst part of all.
What an absolute shame for those players caught up in this nonsense.
But that's recruiting during an era where we also have what is essentially a transfer portal for high school athletes.
