Josh Niblett steps down as Hoover football coach
One of the winningest coaches in recent Alabama high school football history is moving on.
Josh Niblett is stepping down as Hoover's head football coach, ending a wildly successful tenure leading the Buccaneers. Niblett confirmed the news to the Hoover Sun on Friday morning.
Niblett is retiring from the state of Alabama. He was introduced on Monday morning as the new head coach at Gainesville High School in Georgia.
“I talked to our staff and players this morning,” he said. “It transpired pretty quickly. I’ve never looked to leave Hoover. I’ve never been that kind of guy. That’s not me.”
Niblett held a meeting to inform the coaching staff and team Friday morning. He said the decision to leave Hoover was an opportunity to “take care of my family and take care of my future.”
“It was an emotional meeting with the players. Every player gave me a hug and told me they loved me. It’s more than about football. That’s what makes me smile,” he said.
Over the past 14 years, Niblett’s Bucs posted a 171-26 record, capturing six state championships in that time. Hoover won at least 10 games in 13 of those 14 years and advanced to the semifinals of the playoffs every single season.
“My players and coaches, I love this place and I love them and they mean the world to me. They’re the ones that make this tough,” Niblett said.
In 2021, Hoover put together a perfect regular season, including a dramatic 24-21 win over then-No. 1 Thompson. The Bucs won 12 straight games before falling to the eventual state champion Warriors in the Class 7A semifinals.
“This was probably one of the tightest-knit groups I’ve ever had,” Niblett said. “I can’t say enough about the players and the attitude in which they came to work with every day. They accomplished some unbelievable things.”
Niblett arrived at Hoover following Rush Propst’s tenure, an era that saw Hoover win five state titles. Niblett kept the Bucs program at a dominant level, winning it all in his second season in 2009. Hoover won three state titles in a row from 2012-14, and over the 2012 and 2013 seasons, the Bucs won 30 consecutive games.
“I can’t thank everyone enough, from the players to the staff to the administration and to the community for this opportunity. They took a chance on me. I think the biggest thing is I’m very appreciative,” Niblett said.
Hoover’s football program has been a pillar of stability in recent years and Niblett believes the next person that inherits it is set up to succeed.
“They’ll get a great coach in here,” he said. “It’s in great shape and the kids understand work ethic, the importance of accountability and ownership and they understand the importance of family and team. Whoever gets that opportunity will be able to see that and grow it.”
Prior to Hoover, Niblett was the head coach at Oxford for three years and was the head coach at Oneonta the five years before that.
“I hope people feel like I left a legacy that was not just about wins, but about impacting lives and the community’s lives. That’s what I wanted it to be about,” he said.
Hoover City Schools said in a statement it will “work diligently to hire a new head coach by January.”
The statement also said, “The Hoover High School administration appreciates all that Coach Niblett has done for Hoover football and the Hoover [c]ommunity. He has impacted countless student-athletes’ lives and the Hoover family is forever grateful for the impact he has made in our city.”
Update 12/13: Story was updated to reflect Niblett's hiring at Gainesville.