Alabama HS: Briarwood coach with 250 wins

MONTGOMERY – Briarwood Christian’s 39-14 win against Moody Friday night wasn’t any real surprise. Winning games is something the Lions' faithful have certainly grown accustomed to.

The victory, Coach Fred Yancey’s 250th win in his legendary prep career, did come as a surprise to his own team. But that, too, shouldn’t have been any real surprise either. Yancey said a week before the win that any wins he has personally doesn’t belong to him.

“It’s about the players, the assistant coaches,” he said. “I have been blessed to have great kids and great coaches throughout my coaching career.”

No. 250 thrusts Yancey and his Class 5A powerhouse team in the AHSAA Spotlight for Week 2 of the 2011 prep football season. In his 22nd year as Briarwood’s head coach, Yancey has a 209-63 record at the Shelby County private school. Twelve of his teams have won 10 or more games. His 1998 and 1999 teams won Class 3A state titles and the 2003 squad won the 5A state crown.

The Lions have also finished second twice -- 2007 and 2010. Noted for his outstanding defenses and outstanding quarterbacks, his former player Barrett Trotter is the starting quarterback this season for defending BCS National Champion Auburn.

His teams at Briarwood have scored 7,287 points in 273 games – an average of 27 ppg. His defenses have only 14.1 ppg.

His teams have also compiled a 92-12 area/region record during that span including 30 region wins in a row in the 1990s and 61-7 in the decade just completed.

Quarterback Ben Craft, who said the team was unaware of the significance of last weekend’s victory prior to the game, threw for 101 yards and three touchdowns in just one quarter of play as the Lions rolled to a 39-0 halftime lead. Matthew Furuto scored three times with a 25-yard TD pass reception, threw a 30-yard TD pass and ran eight yards for another score.

"The Lord has blessed me," said Yancey, who now ranks fourth in the state among active prep coaches with a 251-83-1 record. Forty-two wins came outside the state in Tennessee and Georgia. "Hopefully, we will be able to notch several more wins before my coaching career is over."

Yancey’s coaching milestone edged out a trio of super pass receiving performances and a clutch quarterbacking effort for this week’s AHSAA Spotlight top honor.