Former Auburn quarterback Barrett Trotter is the new head football coach at Bayside Academy in Daphne.

Headmaster Scott Phillips announced the hire late Thursday afternoon.

Trotter replaces Phil Lazenby as the Admirals’ head coach and is just the third football coach in school history.

RELATED: Former Auburn DB hired at Decatur High

“More than anything we were looking for a man who would buy into our culture and love and develop the young men in our football program,” Phillips said in a release. “Everyone who engaged in our search knew football, but coach Trotter stood out in regard to his passion and integrity.”

Trotter comes to Bayside from Briarwood Christian where he has taught and coached for the past two seasons. He helped with quarterbacks last year and coached tight ends and wide receivers. He also has college coaching experience at Auburn and North Carolina and NFL experience with the Los Angeles Rams.

“I am extremely grateful to the Bayside community and the administration for this opportunity to be your head coach,” Trotter said in an email to the Bayside family. “Our program will produce a championship culture that the student body and community can be proud of, both on and off the field. I look forward to building relationships with this team and developing men of high character committed to excellence.”

Trotter played quarterback at Auburn from 2008-2011. He was the backup to Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton during the Tigers’ 2010 BCS title run and started in 2011. He was team captain as a senior.

“I’ve got so many memories from that year,” he said. “The unbelievable Iron Bowl (famously labeled the Cam-back). What people forget about that season is we had so many other close games. We had close games against Kentucky and Clemson. I think we won both of those on field goals at the end. Then obviously we won the championship on a field goal at the end. That team learned how to overcome adversity and not let the outside noise get in.”

D.D. Thompson started the Bayside program and went 22-33 from 2001-2006. Lazenby took over in 2007. In 16 years, he won 115 games and took the Admirals to the playoffs 13 times. The 2022 team went 6-5, losing to Montgomery Catholic in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs. The Admirals started 4-0 before a key injury led to a three-game losing streak.

Trotter’s wife, Katherine White-Spunner Trotter, is a 2009 Bayside graduate.

“We have a lot of family at Bayside. My wife went there. It kind of feels like going back home,” he said. “It’s a neat experience and one I don’t take lightly. Coming back to Briarwood, my high school, has been unbelievable. I have a ton of friends and family here. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything, but I’m excited for the new opportunity.”

Trotter said he officially signed his contract Thursday afternoon and wasn’t sure exactly when his first day on the job in Daphne would be.

“The first thing for me is just to get there, which I’m looking forward to,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being able to meet the team. I met a few players when I was in town for an interview. But I want to get in front of them and share my vision of what it takes to win championships and be the kind of men we want to be on and off the field. Then it will be about getting the right staff in place to make all that happen.”

Trotter said he has learned a lot from all the coaches he has played under, including Hall of Fame former Briarwood coach Fred Yancey along with his Auburn coaches, Gene Chizik and Gus Malzahn.