Daphne High football coach Kenny King is one of two former University of Alabama players who will be honored Saturday with the Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award.

King and Dr. Clyde Wilson Butler Jr. will be recognized at the Crimson Tide’s opener against Middle Tennessee State at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

“I am humbled and honored to receive this award and to be in the great company of all the esteemed previous winners,” he said. “I came to Alabama to play football and earn a degree. I achieved my goals and my time at the Capstone was some of the best times of my life and propelled me to greatness.

“It allowed me the wonderful blessing and opportunity to give back to my community and to our future generations. I will forever be grateful to the University of Alabama, my family and everyone I have encountered during my time as I work to pay it forward.”

Alabama recognizes two former athletes each year. The Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award is based on character, contributions to society, professional achievement and service to fellow men.

Previous honorees for the award, which has been given since 1988, include John Croyle, Bart Starr, Ozzie Newsome, Lee Roy Jordan, Jeremiah Castille and Sylvester Croom.

“Attending Alabama is something that helped bring my entire family together,” King said. “They would all gather on gameday in Tuscaloosa and come together. It was a neat time. It definitely shaped me – not just as a football player – but as a man. The University of Alabama will always be a special place for me.”

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King signed with the Tide in 1999 and was a four-year starter and three-time SEC All-Academic selection while at Alabama. He also was a two-time All-SEC selection. He played five years in the NFL before moving into coaching.

He eventually returned to his hometown of Daphne to become the Trojans head coach in 2016. He is 47-30 at Daphne in his 8th year at the helm, including 1-0 this year.

“Kenny epitomized the meaning of what a student-athlete should be,” said former AHSAA executive director Steve Savarese, who coached King at Daphne. “He was an outstanding student. First and foremost, he is a great person on and off the field who made his parents very proud. He also was an athlete blessed with a lot of talent who worked extremely hard to take that God-given skill and use it to the best of ability.”

While back in Daphne, King’s charitable organization, Kenny King Charities, has been able to reach and transform an abundance of lives with his scholarship program, annual Christmas Shop-a-Thon and other initiatives.

“I’ve always been extremely proud of Kenny and all his accomplishments,” Savarese said. “But to watch him today and see all he does for his players and the community makes me most proud. I’ve never seen a head coach treat his athletes with more kindness, love and respect than I have Kenny. I know his father in Heaven is extremely proud as is his mother continuing to watch him today.

“The community of Daphne is very fortunate to have Kenny King as one of their leaders and a great role model.”