Danny Powell

It just seems that Danny Powell always had the magic touch. Whatever he coached, it just seemed to turn to gold, or maybe that should be it turned to blue, like the map on the state championship trophies. What was his secret?

Maybe it was that little sarcastic sense of humor. Or maybe it was a special relationship with the towns of Leroy and Jackson, who carved much of his early beliefs and then asked him to return to lead them to greatness.

Probably not. More than likely it was the old coaching shorts and the beat-up crocs he wore for good luck. Maybe it was his intelligence, after all he was a really good math teacher, a 1973 graduate of Livingston University. Opponents hated to see him looking down at that play sheet on a big third-down play just knowing he was about to outsmart them. Then he would dial up some unexpected gem to get his team out of trouble.

It could be his humility. “He always gives the players and coaches all the credit,” said former UMS Wright Coach Terry Curtis. “He always has his players’ best interests at heart. He is very unassuming. Danny is very laid back, but his passion and emotion of what he does and how he goes about it, well, you better watch out!”

Maybe he is the great communicator. Danny seems to speak the language that the players understand, a combination of southern drawl and athletic advice that is just right for that given situation. That ability to know when to encourage, when to correct and when to leave them alone and just let them play. Former player and assistant coach Jeremy Sullivan says, “He is one of the smartest men I have ever known and the lessons he poured into me still guide me every single day.”

More than likely it has something to do with being the great competitor. Former quarterback Clint Mosley said, “No one I ever played for was better in the big moments than Coach Powell. You never doubted his decisions on the field.”

“He is loving, caring, hardworking, consistent, and determined”, said former player Andrew Williams. “His passion is unmatched, and his expectations make anything mediocre FLEE!”

What made Danny Powell a great coach? Very simply, he just might be the greatest teacher of the game of football his generation has ever witnessed.

Growing up he lived in Jackson and later in Leroy where he was a three-sport athlete. He would not start his coaching career until 1978. He paid his dues as a football assistant working at McIntosh Academy, Washington County, and Sumter Academy where his basketball team was state runner up. He had success at Lee Scott Academy in Auburn as a head football coach, winning a state title in 1988 while his wife Gwen graduated from Auburn University.

Danny spent three years at Jackson Academy and three seasons at Clarke County continuing to master his teaching of the game. And it was time to go back home.

Coach Powell returned to his alma mater of Leroy where he served as an assistant football coach and head baseball coach. As defensive coordinator in 2004, he helped lead Leroy to its first football state championship. He became head football coach of the Bears in 2006 and over the next five seasons won four football state championships and three baseball state titles. His sons Dru and Matt both played on his 2001 state championship baseball squad. His football teams compiled an incredible 66–7 record at Leroy and captured five region titles. His baseball teams won 300 games over 14 years.

The great teacher later crossed the river to Jackson High School, where he earned another state championship in 2011. Across eight seasons at Jackson, his teams won four region championships, made four semifinal appearances, and posted an 82–20 record.

After retiring from public schools, Coach Powell coached at Clarke Prep and Jackson Academy as well as volunteering as offensive coordinator back at Leroy. Most recently, he returned to Leroy once again as a volunteer offensive coordinator for the junior high team in 2025.

Across his storied career, Coach Powell’s teams won seven state championships in football and three in baseball. He earned three Coach of the Year awards in baseball and three in football. He was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2012 and the AHSAA Hall of Fame in 2022.

Today, he and his wife Gwen are enjoying their five grandchildren, where there are more games to see each season, and looking back on the great relationships they made through educating students.

Reflecting on his career, Coach Powell said, “I have truly been blessed by God in my life and career. I had great players, coaches, and support throughout my career. I will always cherish the relationships with my players, coaches, and the coaching fraternity in general. My family has always been my greatest support. I wish I could do it for forty more years.”

The communities of Leroy and Jackson feel the same way, Coach.

The Alabama Football Coaches Association is proud to present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Coach Danny Powell.