1 of 30
Photo by Erin Nelson
Hoover head coach Josh Niblett calls the play as the Bucs face Thompson in the Class 7A semifinals of the AHSAA playoffs at the Hoover Met on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021.Thompson defeated the Bucs 35-10. Photo by Erin Nelson.
2 of 30
Photo by Erin Nelson
Hoover head coach Josh Niblett calls the play as the Bucs face Thompson in the Class 7A semifinals of the AHSAA playoffs at the Hoover Met on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021.Thompson defeated the Bucs 35-10. Photo by Erin Nelson.
3 of 30
Kamp Fender
Hoover Head Coach Josh Niblett walks the sidelines during a Class 7A semifinal game between Thompson and Hoover on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, at the Hoover Met.
4 of 30
Kamp Fender
Hoover WR George Pickens (1) and Head Coach Josh Niblett perform a handshake prior to a Class 7A semifinal game between Thompson and Hoover on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, at the Hoover Met.
5 of 30
Kamp Fender
Hoover Head Coach Josh Niblett addresses his team for the final time in the 2018 season following a Class 7A semifinal game between Thompson and Hoover on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, at the Hoover Met.
6 of 30
Kamp Fender
Hoover Head Coach Josh Niblett after George Pickens' second long touchdown reception of the night during a Class 7A second round playoff game between Mountain Brook and Hoover on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, at the Hoover Met. (Kamp Fender)
7 of 30
TCI Sports/Barry Stephenson
Hoover Football
Hoover's Josh Niblett in a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 30, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
8 of 30
Jimmy Mitchell
Hoover's head coach Josh Niblett during a Class 7A semifinal game between Hoover and Thompson on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, at Warrior Stadium in Alabaster.
9 of 30
Kamp Fender
Hoover Head Coach Josh Niblett congratulates Thompson coaches and players following a Class 7A semifinal game between Thompson and Hoover on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, at the Hoover Met.
10 of 30
Photos by Barry Stephenson
2017 HOOVER FOOTBALL
Hoover's Josh Niblett during a game between Hoover and Meridian on Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, AL.
11 of 30
Photos by Barry Stephenson
2019 Hoover Football
Hoover Coach Josh Niblett during a game between Hoover and Thompson on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Warrior Stadium in Alabaster.
12 of 30
Photos by Barry Stephenson
2019 Hoover Football
Hoover Coach Josh Niblett during a game between Hoover and Thompson on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Warrior Stadium in Alabaster.
13 of 30
Hoover head coach Josh Niblett consults the play sheet during a game between Hoover High School and Thompson High School on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021 at the Hoover Met in Hoover, AL. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
14 of 30
Photo by Barry Stephenson.
Josh Niblett
Hoover coach Josh Niblett talks to his team during the Oak Mountain game on Sept. 11. The Bucs won 17-14, giving Niblett his 100th win as Hoover head football coach.
15 of 30
Photo by Kamp Fender
Hoover vs. Oak Mountain Football
Hoover Head Coach Josh Niblett shakes hands with players during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 21, 2018, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama. (Kamp Fender)
16 of 30
Photo by Kamp Fender
Hoover vs. Oak Mountain Football
Hoover Head Coach Josh Niblett during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 21, 2018, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama. (Kamp Fender)
17 of 30
Kyle Parmley
Hoover City Elite 7 on 7
Hoover head coach Josh Niblett instructs his team during a game at the Hoover City Elite 7 on 7 football tournament in Hoover.
18 of 30
James "Nick" Nicholas
Hoover Coach Josh Niblett during a game between Hoover and St. John's College on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, at Hoover High School.
19 of 30
James "Nick" Nicholas
Hoover Coach Josh Niblett before a game between Hoover and St. John's College on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, at Hoover High School.
20 of 30
James "Nick" Nicholas
Hoover coach Josh Niblett signals his players during a game between Hoover and St. John's College on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, at Hoover High School.
21 of 30
Sarah Finnegan
Hoover vs McGill Toolen Football State Championship 2017
Hoover Head Coach Josh Niblett calls out a play during the AHSAA Class 7A championship game between Hoover and McGill-Toolen on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
22 of 30
Sarah Finnegan
Hoover vs McGill Toolen Football State Championship 2017
Hoover Head Coach Josh Niblett hugs his son after winning the AHSAA Class 7A championship game between Hoover and McGill-Toolen on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
23 of 30
Jimmy J. Mitchell
Vestavia Hills vs. Hoover Football
Hoover's Josh Niblett in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Friday, October 14, 2016, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama.
24 of 30
Kyle Parmley
USA 7-on-7 Football Tournament
Action from the USA Football 7-on-7 state tournament on June 30, 2016, in Hoover. Hoover head coach Josh Niblett.
25 of 30
Sam Chandler
Hoover Football
Hoover High School head football coach Josh Niblett with seniors Kholbe Coleman-Abrams, left, and Garrett Farquhar, right, at the Jefferson-Shelby Media Days on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at the Gardendale Civic Center.
26 of 30
Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
2015 Signing Day
Coach Josh Niblett speaks at Hoover High School's signing Day.
27 of 30
Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover Football
Hoover head coach Josh Niblett in the Champions Challenge game between Hoover and Central-Phenix City on Friday, August 19, 2016, at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
28 of 30
Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover head coach Josh Niblett reviews his play chart during a game with Alpharetta High School on Friday, Aug 27, 2021 at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Al.
29 of 30
Frank Couch
Hoover Head coach Josh Niblett. Alabama High School Playoffs with 7A Hoover hosting Buckhorn at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama Friday November 6, 2015. Photo by Frank Couch.
30 of 30
Photo by Kyle Parmley
Hoover Football
Hoover head coach Josh Niblett during a game between Hoover and Prattville on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, at Stanley-Jensen Stadium in Prattville. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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.
