Rico Jackson got a taste of the Super 7 when he was the head football coach at Aliceville.

He’s ready to go back.

Jackson has been hired as the new head football coach at Anniston. He leaves Tarrant after just one season there.

“Tarrant was a really good spot, but it was just a complete rebuild,” he said. “Anniston is a win now job, and I want to win state titles. I’ve coached in a title game, and I’m ready to get to another one and win it.”

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Jackson coached Aliceville to the Class 2A title game in 2016. His team finished 13-2, ultimately losing to Fyffe 28-0 in the finale. He has coached at three schools since then (Escambia County, Murphy and Tarrant), making the playoffs just once.

He’s clearly ready for that to change.

“Everything is set up solid at Anniston,” Jackson said. “The community seems like it is together, and I want to help them get to that next level and get that ring.”

Anniston won its first 11 games a year ago and finished 11-1. The Bulldogs outscored their competition 494-170. They lost to eventual state champion Andalusia 35-28 in the Class 4A quarterfinals.

Rico White left after the season to become head coach at Mae Jemison in Huntsville. Anniston has won state titles before, but it’s been a while. The Bulldogs last won a state championship in 1994. They also won in 1989.

“I want to compete immediately,” Jackson said. “I feel they have the kids, the resources and the community and administrative support to compete right now.”

Jackson said he likely won’t start his new job until next month but will head to campus next week.

“I hope to be there Tuesday, meet the kids, let them get a feel for me,” he said. “I want to meet with the seniors by myself and get to know them. I want the kids to understand that I’m there for them, but we will need each other to push this thing forward and compete for a title. I just want to start building that bond of trust.”

Jackson is 58-59 overall in 11 years as a head coach. He spent three years at Fairfield, two at Aliceville, two at Escambia County, three at Murphy and one at Tarrant. His only Tarrant struggled to a 2-8 finish.

“It was a good experience. There are good people at Tarrant. Great kids,” Jackson said. “I knew what I was getting into. I thought the kids really took a step forward this year. It’s a four or five-year project. I feel like we have it going in the right direction and the next guy can come in and maybe build off what we started. It’s stable right now.”

St. John Paul II announces new coach

St. John Paul II has hired Chad O’Melia as its next head football coach.

O’Melia replaces Padraic Heiliger, who was 4-6 in his only season. O’Melia, who spent four years as an assistant at Birmingham-Southern, is the Falcons’ fifth head coach since 2017.

He starts March 1.