Former Hoover coach Wade Waldrop is the new head football coach at Orange Beach High.

Superintendent Randy Wilkes announced the hire Tuesday afternoon.

Waldrop replaces Jamey DuBose, who stepped down last month and was later announced as the new head coach at Biloxi High. Wilkes said Orange Beach had more than 160 candidates interested in the job.

“We ran the whole gamut of folks,” Wilkes told AL.com. “We had really good people with outstanding resumes — wins, championships. For us, it came down to the ability to develop a culture — not just a winning culture — but one that emphasizes character above anything else.

“We surveyed our parents and 75 percent of them said the major outcome from our football program should be life lessons. That resonated with us. We wanted to find the right person that could teach our young men those lessons and also had a proven track record, and I think we did that.”

Waldrop resigned last week after two years at Hoover. He went 16-9 with the Bucs, including a region championship and state semifinal appearance in 2022. His 2023 team overcame a 1-5 start to make the 7A playoffs. Hoover lost to region rival Hewitt-Trussville in the quarterfinals.

Waldrop has a career record of 116-84 in 18 seasons as a head coach.

He spent seven years at Chelsea (2006-2012), eight at James Clemens (2013-2020) and one at Florence (2021). He won 54 games in his tenure at James Clemens, including a 10-2 record in 2015.

“We went back and watched film on NFHS, and Hoover did some really good things in 2022 when they won the region,” Wilkes said. “Also, coach Waldrop having been at a place like James Clemens that wasn’t brand new but was relatively new at the time was a key point for us. He helped build that program.

“Some people interviewed have aspirations of doing things and some have actually done them. No matter what the question was, coach Waldrop could relate it to something, and the big thing was we could see him fitting in the orange and blue.”

Waldrop is just the third head coach in the young history of Orange Beach following Chase Smith (2020-2021) and DuBose (2022-2023). The Makos are 21-19 in four seasons of varsity play.

Earlier this fall, the Orange Beach City Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting the construction of a $46 million athletic facility on the middle and high school campus. The facility will include a 3,500-seat football stadium.

The Makos will continue to play in Class 4A, Region 1 next year along with Escambia County, Jackson, Mobile Christian, Satsuma, St. Michael and W.S. Neal.

Waldrop is expected to start Jan. 3. Wilkes said there will be a meet and greet with him after the holidays. Waldrop and wife Kimberly have four children — Carsyn, Camryn, Cooper and Callyn.

This post will be updated