Drew Gilmer was the former coach of the Hoover City School football team who recently resigned after being placed on administrative leave after his video belittling players went viral
The two-time state championship coach was placed on administrative leave along with his defensive coordinator Adam Helms.
Who is Drew Gilmer as video of Hoover City School football coach humping and pushing Bucs players during practice camp goes viral on Twitter/X
Following his resignation, offensive coordinator Chip English will step in as the interim coach as the Bucs play against Western High School in Miami on August 24.
Drew Gilmer resigns amidst being placed on administrative leave
The Hoover City Board of Education on Thursday, decided to accept the resignations of head coach Drew Gilmer and defensive coordinator Adam Helms. The decision came following a scandalous training video that went viral on social media. Following the incident, the Hoover City Schools superintendent Kevin Maddox released an announcement on Tuesday.
Not a good look for Hoover High School Football… @BucsFootball #Hoover #Gilmer #trash pic.twitter.com/YQ0QTsNPn0
— Chris Couch (@chriscouchgolf) August 7, 2024
According to the announcement, the institute had placed Gilmer and Helms on administrative leave following footage of the coaches pushing players during a recent practice. The video, which is now viral across social media shows Hoover coaches pushing, pulling on helmets and thrusting hips at various players during practice. One part of the video showed one of the coaches thrusting his hope at a player’s face while on the ground. Meanwhile, another part showed a coach rushing at a player and knocking him down while his helmet came off.
Drew Gilmer bio and education
Drew Gilmer is a high school football coach who served as the head coach of Hoover City. He is the nephew of former Alabama quarterback great and NFL star Harry Gilmer. Before starting out his coaching career, Drew Gilmer was a four-year starter for Pinson Valley under Wayne Lee. During his time there, he mainly played as a quarterback and safety. He eventually graduated high school in 2003, and went on to play baseball for Central Alabama Community College in Alexander City, where he graduated with a degree.
Now @FootballScoop has received multiple videos that show at best bizarre behavior on the practice field as national prep powerhouse Hoover, Alabama, investigates its head coach & DC: https://t.co/uCgS1y0Y6B pic.twitter.com/D2e98bdYTB
— John Brice (@JohnDBrice1) August 6, 2024
Coaching career
Gilmer started out his coaching as a volunteer coach at his high school alma mater for one year under Lee. He then worked as an assistant coach for Pinson Valley. He served on the role before taking up a new job as an assistant coach at Clay-Chalkville in 2010. During his time there, he served under Jerry Hood, who is currently the Leeds head coach. Throughout his seven years at Clay-Chalkville, Gilmer coached several positions during, including quarterbacks, receivers, defensive backs, and linebackers.
Gilmer eventually replaced Hood as head coach in 2017, and posted an impressive 81-12 record across seven seasons. He also won two of the past three Class 6A state championships and his 2023 team beat top-ranked Saraland. Earlier this year, in January, Hoover City had hired Gilmer to replace Wade Waldrop, and he was just weeks away from starting his first game as their head coach. Notably, Gilmer was the Buccaneers’ third coach across the last four years.