For years, Columbia High School had become accustomed to losing. The Alabama program entered Saturday night carrying a 101-game losing streak that stretched back to 2015. But that changed yesterday, as former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Sammie Coates, in his first game as the school’s head coach, helped them break that losing curse.
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Columbia defeated Greensboro High School 41-14, ending the longest losing streak in Alabama high school football history. However, that win was not easy. In the first quarter, Columbia fell behind 14-0, and it looked like the losing streak would reach 102 games. Instead, Coates’ team responded with 41 unanswered points.
When the final whistle sounded, the field turned into a celebration. The band played, the public-address announcer shouted over the noise, and fans rushed onto the field. Coates received a Gatorade bath, but even in the middle of the celebration, he tried to direct attention toward the players on the field.
“I’m just happy for the kids, man. It ain’t about me. It’s about those kids who worked their tail off. The whole time being here, they never gave up,” Coates told AL.com reporter Thomas Ashworth after the game.
The win over Class 2A Greensboro was historic in every sense. The Eagles scored 41 points, their highest total in a victory since 2015, when they beat Ardmore 34-16. More importantly, Columbia was able to break the losing streak because of the culture Coates had worked to build around the program.
The head coach made sure the players put their “horse blinders on” and did not focus on the long-standing losing streak. Instead of allowing the past to define the team, Coates wanted the players to focus on the game.
“I’ve been proud since I got here, regardless of the losing streak,” running back Christian Richey said. “I’ve seen what we had on our team, and I knew we were going to do it, and it’s just what we put on for our school, put on for everybody that said we’re going to make the streak even longer. It’s surreal.”
Richey had a major role in making the historic night possible. He racked up more than 200 yards of offense and scored four touchdowns, while quarterback Deuce Wilson threw for 140 yards and two touchdowns. The win felt unreal because of the struggles Columbia had faced in previous seasons.
Last season, the team finished 0-10 and was outscored 449-90. Only one game was decided by a single possession, while most of the schedule featured heavy defeats. The program had also gone through several head coaches without securing a victory.
When the team won its last game a decade ago, former coach Chris Hancock held the reins. In 2017, Hancock stepped down after compiling a 6-24 record. Between that time and Coates’ hiring, four head coaches went in and out of the program, but none could break the cycle of losing game after game.
“This is amazing,” Coates said. “I’m glad these kids are experiencing it. This is a great experience for them. Now they can go see what it feels like, and now we can add to it. We’ve got to go back to work next week.”
Coates arrived in January with the challenge of changing more than a record. Saturday’s comeback gave the team the first real proof that the program could look different. Still, Coates refused to treat the win as the finish line.
“We got a lot of work to do,” he said. “We’re 1-0. I don’t care about nothing else.”
The victory also gave Coates a defining achievement in a coaching career that is only beginning. His playing career never reached the heights many expected when Pittsburgh selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Auburn.
He played two seasons with the Steelers before being traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2017. After just one year in Cleveland, he was waived and signed with the Houston Texans. Even the Texans released him during the 2018 season.
Coates then tried his luck with the Kansas City Chiefs, but was released during the final cuts before the regular season.
The former wide receiver decided to transition to the XFL, playing for the Houston Roughnecks in 2020. He ultimately moved to the Canadian Football League, where he played from 2021 to 2023. His career took him through different leagues and teams, but he eventually decided to take a break from football.
Coates spent two years as a police officer in Auburn, but his love for the sport eventually brought him back.
“When you get done playing, that’s all you’ve been doing your whole life is football and sports,” Coates said. “I got into my third year of being in law enforcement, and I missed (football) — the preparation, the games, the excitement. I decided to get into coaching. I knew that’s something I’d be really good at. I’m good with people. I’m good with players. So far, it’s working how I want it to work.”
Well, it has been working well for Coates so far. He has helped Columbia change its culture, encouraged more players to join the program, and ended a losing streak that had lasted for 101 games.
However, the season has just started, and the Eagles still have a long journey ahead. The next challenge will be preventing the victory from becoming a one-night memory.