Arab High football coach Lee Ozmint resigns one day after arrest
Arab High football coach and former Alabama player Lee Ozmint has resigned one day after his arrest.
Arab City Schools superintendent Johnny Berry confirmed the resignation to AL.com on Friday afternoon. In an email response, Berry said Ozmint tendered his resignation at approximately 8:30 a.m.
The Board called a special meeting at 11 a.m. and accepted the resignation.
Ozmint was arrested Thursday and charged with distributing or soliciting obscene material to or from a student under the age of 19 while being a school employee, Arab Police Chief Shane Washburn told AL.com on Thursday night.
He was released from the Arab City Jail on bond Thursday.
Berry said Kyle Routen would serve as interim coach while the school system begins the search process for a new coach. Attempts to contact Ozmint have been unsuccessful.
Ozmint had been the head coach at Arab since 2019. He led the team to a 38-18 overall record and four straight playoff appearances. His 2022 Arab team went 11-2 and lost at Pleasant Grove in two overtimes in the Class 5A state quarterfinals.
He also spent 10 years as the head coach at Glencoe High from 2006-2015, accumulating a 77-37 record. He led the Yellow Jackets to seven straight playoff appearances.
Ozmint, a native of Anderson, S.C., played football at Alabama and eventually earned a law degree. He served as a lawyer in Tuscaloosa and Gadsden before moving into coaching.
On Thursday evening, Arab City Schools acknowledged it learned of “unprofessional and inappropriate communications between an Arab High School teacher and student.” It did not name the school employee.