Murphy coach Justin Hannah was fired Monday after going 2-13 at the school. He said he was asked not to make public statements about his firing. (John O’Dell/Call News)
By ARTHUR L. MACK
Justin Hannah was fired as Murphy’s head football coach Monday, according to school administrators.
Hannah was fired three days after the Panthers lost 44-6 to Spanish Fort to fall to 0-5 this season. Murphy has lost seven straight dating from last season, Hannah’s first with the Panthers, who finished 2-8 in 2023.
Reached by the Call News, Hannah verified he had been fired but said he was asked not to make a statement.
This season, Murphy has been outscored 165-42 and has been competitive in just two games — a 36-24 loss to Davidson in the season opener and a 12-6 double-overtime loss to Blount.
Hannah’s firing is the latest blow to what used to be one of the state’s elite big-school programs. The Panthers have made 36 playoff appearances, won the Class 4A state title in 1983 and were the dominant team in Mobile for years. But Murphy hasn’t won a region title since 2008 and is only 1-8 in its last eight playoff appearances. The Panthers currently have three straight losing seasons for only the fourth time in school history, dating back to 1926, and are trying to avoid an unprecedented fourth straight losing season in 2024.
Murphy has 68 winning seasons and 30 losing ones, five of those in the last seven years and 11 coming since it won the state title in 1983. The program has also put 17 players in the NFL, including Keith McCants, Captain Munnerlyn, Mardye McDole, Taylor Stallworth and Nick Farrell.
Hannah took over as head coach after John McKenzie, who is now back at Vigor, went 2-7 in 2022. He was All-State in football at West End High School in 2006 and was an HBCU All-American at Tuskegee University.
Hannah went into coaching after pro stints with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
Hannah said he had a tall task of rebuilding the Panthers when he was hired in March 2023.
“It’s going to take some work, winning obviously, and it’s going to take parents being more involved and more supportive,” he said. “Fans should expect fundamental football and I plan to have these kids playing fast and fundamental football and try to be as sound as possible.”
Murphy plays Williamson at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Friday at 7 p.m.
