Former Mary G. Montgomery coach Zach Golson has filed a lawsuit seeking damages, due process and to clear his name following an AHSAA investigation into recruiting violations that cost him his job. Golson is suing the AHSAA, Executive Director Heath Harmon, AHSAA investigator Chuck Anderson, Mobile County Public School System Superintendent Chresal Threadgill and MGM Principal David Diaz. (Helen Joyce/Call News)
By JIMMY WIGFIELD
Former Mary G. Montgomery head football coach Zach Golson has filed a lawsuit against prominent members of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Mobile County Public School System seeking damages and due process in the wake of an investigation that resulted in his removal and the school being put on restrictive probation.
The AHSAA and Executive Director Heath Harmon, AHSAA investigator Chuck Anderson, MCPSS Superintendent Chresal Threadgill and MGM Principal David Diaz were named in the lawsuit which was filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Friday by Golson’s AEA-appointed attorney Tom Loper of Mobile.
AHSAA Communications Director Scott Griffin declined comment about the lawsuit on Monday. Golson also declined comment.
Golson was escorted off campus and removed from his job in May, two weeks before Harmon ruled Golson and MGM had committed recruiting violations.
Golson said earlier that Baker High School turned in Mary G. Montgomery because two Causey Middle School eight graders zoned for Baker had chosen to enroll at MGM and attended an annual freshman welcoming ceremony there. Golson said any contact with those players was unintentional and that they came to the ceremony on their own.
“Where is the evidence that my coaches or I initiated contact with these students to persuade them to choose MGM?” Golson said in a statement approved by Loper. “Where are the messages? Where are the phone calls? Where are the promises of playing time? Where are the payments, jobs, housing arrangements, transportation, gifts, benefits or other inducements? Where is the evidence that we orchestrated a recruiting effort or attempted to gain an unfair competitive advantage? If that evidence exists, show it.
“The event happened openly on our campus with our administration’s knowledge and approval. No formal invitations were issued. Information was publicly posted. The students came to us. Some had already completed MCPSS transfer paperwork. Their families had made their enrollment decisions before the event. … Purpose matters. Intent matters. Timing matters. Whether the family had already made its enrollment decision matters. Whether a coach actually influenced that decision matters. Whether there was an attempt to gain a competitive advantage matters.”
The AHSAA ultimately punished MGM with a year of restrictive probation, a one-year playoff ban and suspended Golson for a year. It also ruled that 20 players dating back to 2023 were permanently ineligible for athletics at the school, according to Golson.
Golson sought to remain at MGM in a teaching position but his mandatory transfer was upheld in a hearing before the Mobile County School Board.
Loper said during Golson’s hearing in late August that Golson might have been targeted by the MCPSS because of his connection to Semmes city officials and their desire to have a city system.
The AHSAA District One board and the Central Board heard MGM’s appeals to have the restrictive probation overturned but both boards upheld it.
The Central Board’s rejection of MGM’s appeal last week was controversial locally because the AHSAA overturned identical sanctions against Pell City the week before. The AHSAA, as is its custom, has not released any proof of wrongdoing, a move that could result in pushback from the Alabama Legislature, Sen.-elect Rusty Glover said last week.
“It’s extremely disappointing that some schools were treated one way and other schools were treated another way,” said Glover, who taught at MGM for 25 years. “There has been a movement in the Legislature over the last two years to bring transparency to the high school athletic association. I cannot see myself not being on board. I think that’s what my constituents absolutely expect of me. And I will definitely be on board with looking into what kind of legislation we may can do to curb some of these inconsistencies.”
Golson said he was denied due process throughout the investigation and its aftermath and called for an independent review.
“If everyone involved believes this process was fair, unbiased and supported by the evidence, then there should be no reason to oppose a complete and independent review of the record,” Golson said in a statement approved by Loper. “I am willing to have every decision I made, every message I sent, every phone call I made and every action I took examined. I am asking everyone else involved to show the same willingness. If I am wrong, let the evidence prove me wrong. If the evidence does not support punishment on this scale, then have the courage to correct it.”
Diaz — who as late as two weeks ago said the school would not appeal and take its punishment — changed his mind due to community backlash and Pell City winning its appeal to the Central Board.
