Hoover Players Rally Behind Head Coach Drew Gilmer: ‘We All Love Him’

Hoover High football players, including quarterback Mac Beason, expressed their support Tuesday for head coach Drew Gilmer and defensive coordinator Adam Helms, who were placed on administrative leave.

The school announced that Gilmer, in his first season at Hoover after a successful tenure at Clay-Chalkville, and Helms were put on leave following an “impartial review of recent developments.” This decision came after videos circulated on social media showing two Hoover coaches exhibiting questionable behavior during a recent practice.

Beason, a transfer from Gardendale, took to the social media platform “X” to voice his support:

“We love Coach Gilmer and Coach Helms! Ask any player on the roster. They’ve done a lot for us and the Hoover program. If the players want him as our coach, we should be able to keep him! He might coach a little differently, but that’s why he wins.”

Defensive back Tre Darden echoed Beason’s sentiments:

“He and Coach Helms have been two of the best coaches I’ve had in my life over the last few months. Ask anybody on our team. We all love him. Yes, they coach harder than most, but if you’re a real ball player, it brings the best out of you, and that’s why they win. If the players want him, we should have him.”

Gilmer had an impressive 81-12 record with two state championships at Clay-Chalkville before being hired to replace Wade Waldrop at Hoover.

Junior defensive back Jude Williams also supported the coaches on “X,” stating he was “standing ten toes” with them:

“Preparing to be champions isn’t always pretty. We were soft last year, and this team needs the intensity that our coaches brought to practice every day.”

In a tweet posted at 5:13 p.m. and later deleted, the Hoover Bucs Football account stated:

“We hope that the board, the admins, and the AD talk with the players, parents, and program before making any decisions. Our kids are/and will always be first! They love playing for this coach, so let it play out, and as always go Bucs.”

Hoover athletic director Harley Lamey and Hoover City Schools interim public information officer Bryan Phillips did not immediately respond to inquiries about the current leadership of the Bucs program and the future of Gilmer and Helms.

Email inquiries to each Board of Education member from AL.com were not immediately returned Tuesday night. Hoover Board President Kermit Kendrick told AL.com he had no comment at this time.