The name Tucker has been a staple in high school football in north Alabama for five decades. Luke Tucker hopes to start a similar reputation in south Alabama.
Tucker had been named head coach at Dale County High School in Midland City. He takes the job after Don Moore resigned last month to become head coach at Goshen.
His father Waldon Tucker is a Hall of Fame coach who has coached at several different schools, but spent most of his years leading Fayette County to great success. Luke's brother Lance also had a highly successful career as head coach at Fayette County, before resigning in 2019 to become the head coach at Bartlett High School in Memphis. Luke followed him there to serve as defensive coordinator, a post he had held for 7 years with his brother at Fayette County. His father Waldon returned as Fayette coach in 2020.
This will be Luke Tucker's first head coaching position after 14 years as an assistant coach. He played quarterback for his father in the mid 90's, leading his team to an undefeated 4A state championship in 1996. He then served as a back up quarterback for two years at Alabama before finishing college career by playing baseball.
“I am excited. I have always wanted to be a head football coach and this is an opportunity that I have been looking forward to,” Tucker said in an interview in the Dothan Eagle. “It means a lot (to be a head football coach). It is something that I have always wanted to do. My father was a head coach, still is, and he has coached 40 years. My brother began and I have been with my brother ever since. I have enjoyed it.”
Photo courtesy of the Dothan Eagle