Robert Herring was a winner. You can call it what you like, but he was always a winner. He coached in 3 different states, and won in all three of them. High School football today mourns the great coach who passed away on Wednesday at age 79 after a lengthy illness.
Robert Herring was best known in Alabama for his time as head coach at Oxford High School. In 14 years his teams won three state championships (1988, 1989 and 1993), 8 region titles and made the playoffs every season. His Yellow Jacket teams were not fancy but physical and played with the passion of champions each season. You better play really good if you planned on beating his Oxford teams in the late 80’s and early 90’s. They didn’t beat themselves.
A native of Louisville, Mississippi, Herring became head coach at Jones Valley High School in Birmingham in 1969 where he stayed for four seasons. He then returned to his hometown in Mississippi to coach at Winston Academy, where he spent 10 seasons and won private school championships in 1975 and 1983. In 1984, Coach Herring accepted the head job at Oneonta, going 9-2 before arriving in Oxford the following season.
In 1999, Herring left Oxford to revive the program at Newnan, Georgia. He spent ten seasons there, taking his team to two semi final appearances before retiring in 2008. After retirement, he opened a successful business in Newnan.
Robert Herring was always the loudest, most enthusiastic person in the room. He made football exciting for his players. He loved the game and was always good to share his knowledge with other coaches. He was a very popular clinic speaker. Ask Coach Herring about how the 3 technique was suppose to read the guard and you might find yourself in a 3 point stance doing drills in the hallway of a clinic.
Coach Herring always represented the game with great class and the great passion. He will be greatly missed.
The ALFCA wished to express its deepest sympathies to the Herring family.