By Joshua Huff, sports editor
TUSCALOOSA — The Hewitt-Trussville football coaches circle widened on Wednesday as former Huskies co-offensive coordinator Rodney Bivens Jr. was handed the reins of the Central (Tuscaloosa) High School football team.
Bivens, most recently of Central and Gardendale, was named the head coach of a Falcons team that concluded the 2019 season 4-6 and second to last in Class 5A, Region 3. Bivens takes over the job vacated by Dennis Connor.
“Glory be unto God for seeing me as worthy to be placed within an influential position over so many of our youth,” Bivens posted on Twitter following the announcement. “Thank you to the administration and the Tuscaloosa City Schools for this amazing opportunity to be the next head football coach of Central High School.”
Conner had spent nine seasons at Central (2010-19) and finished his time in Tuscaloosa with a 29-74 record and an 0-3 record in the playoffs.
“It’s been a great 10 years,” Connor told The Tuscaloosa News. “If I cry, I ain’t gonna let nobody see.”
Bivens becomes the ninth head coach in Central (Tuscaloosa) High School football history dating back to 1979. In that span, only four head coaches have had overall winning records (Ed Reed, Howard Busby, Robert Taylor and Melvin Pete Jr.). Reed (1982-91) has the most victories of all nine head coaches with 83 wins (83-28-1).
We would like welcome Coach Rodney Bivens and his family to Central High School! We're excited to have him on board as our new Head Football Coach! Looking forward to getting the new year started!#FalconPride pic.twitter.com/wzKS2sS7eu
— Central Falcons Football (@CHSFalconsFB) March 4, 2020
The Falcons’ last winning season came in 2014, when they went 6-5 in Class 5A, Region 4.
Bivens spent the 2019 season as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The former UAB quarterback (2005-08) has 12 years of coaching experience under his belt. He began his coaching career at Spain Park.
Prior to his time at Central, Bivens was the Gardendale offensive coordinator for the 2018 season. He guided a Rockets offense to a fourth-place finish in points scored in Class 6A, Region 6; Gardendale averaged 21.1 points per game that season. Biven’s run at Gardendale proceeded a 2017 season where he was the co-offensive coordinator for Hewitt-Trussville.
He concluded his final season at Hewitt-Trussville in 2017 on a team that finished 11-1 and with the most points scored in Class 7A, Region 4; The Huskies averaged 44.5 points per game. They were bounced out of the AHSAA state playoffs in the second round by Hoover.
In his two seasons with the Huskies, Bivens helped guide the then-No. 18 ranked team in the nation, according to USA Today, to a 22-2 record.