Mary Montgomery coach Zach Golson placed on administrative leave

 

 

By JIMMY WIGFIELD

Zach Golson, who built Mary G. Montgomery football into one of the state’s elite programs, was put on administrative leave Monday by the Mobile County Public School System.

“He has been placed on administrative leave and it is a personnel matter, so we cannot say anything more,” MCPSS Director of Communications Rena Phillips said.

Neither Golson — who is 37-10 and has won two region championships in four seasons with the Vikings — nor MGM Principal David Diaz could be reached for comment.

Multiple sources told the Call News the decision was based on charges that several eighth graders who participated in MGM’s annual freshman signing ceremony were not living in Mary G. Montgomery’s school zone. The Alabama High School Athletic Association is investigating the allegations.

The Vikings were scheduled to play Ocean Springs (Miss.) Thursday in their spring game. As of Monday, no interim coach had been named.

Golson took over one of the state’s worst high school football programs in 2022 and turned it into one of the best. Within a year, MGM finished 12-1 and reached the Class 7A semifinals. In the last three years, the Vikings are 31-5 under Golson.