Butch Case is leaving Bayshore Christian to try and stabilize the boys basketball program at Faith Academy.

Case told his Bayshore players of the news Thursday afternoon and will meet with his new team Friday.

“It was a tough decision,” he said. “It comes at a time in my career where an opportunity to coach at a higher level was appealing. In the last 25 years, Faith has been one of Mobile’s most successful programs. The opportunity to be a part of that history was very appealing to me. God opened this door, and I’m excited about a new challenge.”

The Rams went through a season of change during the 2023-2024 school year. Former coach Chad Applin left to take the job at Spanish Fort. The Rams hired Joseph Nieves to replace Applin, but he stepped down in July without coaching a game. A pair of interim coaches guided Faith through the season.

Retiring athletic director Woodie Head said he believes Case is the right coach to get the Rams back on track following successful tenures by John Price and Applin.

“I think he’s going to do a great job,” Head said. “He’s young, energetic. He’s a real strong Christian. We are excited about him and ready for him to get started.”

Case is a native of Northport. He attended college at Troy University and, while a student there, worked with the Trojans’ basketball program under Don Maestri. He then spent three years working at UAH under Lennie Acuff. After moving to Mobile, he spent four years as Michael Napp’s assistant at UMS-Wright.

“We are still very close,” Case said. “He’s probably my best friend in high school basketball. He’s a great man, a great man of God, a great family guy. I really learned how to build a high school basketball program working for him.”

After four years at UMS, Case spent one year as an assistant at Madison-Ridgeland Academy in Madison, Miss., and two years as an assistant at Jackson Prep in Flowood, Miss., before returning to take the Bayshore job.

He’s been with the Eagles for three years.

“This was definitely one of the tougher days in my 13 years in coaching,” Case said. “Previously, when I’ve left jobs, it’s been because I was moving or another reason. This was strictly a career choice. We have deep relationships here. To say I got emotional would be an understatement. I appreciate the community of Bayshore so much. The kids are phenomenal, the administration is phenomenal and the parents are as well. I could not have asked for a better spot to land.”

Now, Case turns to his new program at Class 5A Faith. What’s his first move?

“Building relationships,” he said. “No kid wants to play for you if they don’t trust you or know you care. I need to get in the building, evaluate what we have and go from there. I’ve seen some film. I know there is talent there. I think getting to know the kids is 90 percent of the battle. They have to know you care about them, and that’s what I plan to show them.”

Among the players slated to return for Faith next year are junior guard Lorenthal Spears (14.3 points) and sophomore forward Sam Vincent (12.5 ppg, 9.5 rebounds).