Blount High School principal Jerome Woods has his man.

Woods told AL.com on Monday afternoon he is recommending former Satsuma head coach Ramon Nelson to lead the Leopards’ football program.

“There are a lot of things to like about coach Nelson,” Woods said. “It certainly starts with the word experience. He has experience as a head coach, a coordinator, an athletic director. He has worked in winning programs. He interviewed well. He’s well spoken, and he has a great scenario to set up the kids and get this program going.”

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Nelson replaces Josh Harris, who spent just one year as head coach at Blount. Nelson spent the 2022 season as the quarterbacks coach at Theodore, his alma mater, after spending four years as head coach at Satsuma.

“Honestly, I think I’m called to lead first and foremost,” Nelson said. “Being home at Theodore this past season was definitely a great experience. I really enjoyed being around the staff and that community, but I think it’s in my nature to lead.

“I like being in control. I like the pressure that comes with it, and I like having those relationships with each player on the team. Blount is a proud program. I know they’ve had some changes the last few years, but Blount is Blount. It’s a great opportunity, and I think it’s a great fit for me.”

Blount, one of the state’s more historic and successful football programs, went just 3-7 in Harris’ only season and has missed the playoffs each of the last two years in the perennially tough Class 6A, Region 1. The Leopards haven’t missed the playoffs in three straight seasons since the mid-1980s (1983-1985).

“It’s an extremely tough region,” Nelson said. “This past season at Theodore, we were either playing a storied program every week or an extremely talented team or both. There are no gimmes. Everyone is physical, big and deep. You better be able to run the football and stop the run.

“From top to bottom, it’s extremely tough, but I like the pressure. It fits my personality. I like having an angle, and I think there is an impression out there that Blount is a little down. I’m going over with a mindset of rebranding Blount. I don’t think we need a rebuild. We are just going to rebrand it and get it back where it belongs.”

This post will be updated