Hoover High football players, including quarterback Mac Beason, reacted Tuesday afternoon to news that their head coach and defensive coordinator had been put on administrative leave.

The school announced that coach Drew Gilmer, in his first season at the school after a successful run at Clay-Chalkville, and DC Adam Helms had both been placed on administrative leave after an “impartial review of recent developments.”

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show a pair of Hoover coaches displaying questionable behavior during a recent practice.

Beason, who transferred in from Gardendale, wrote the following on the social media platform “X:”

“We love coach Gilmer and coach Helms! Ask any player on the roster. They’ve done a lot of us and the Hoover program. If the players want him as our coach, we should be able to keep him! He might coach a little differently, but that’s why he wins.”

Defensive back Tre Darden said he loves Gilmer like no other.

“Him and coach Helms have been two of the best coaches I’ve had in my life over the last few months. Ask anybody on our team. We all love him.”

He added: “Yes, they coach harder than most, but if you’re a real ball player, it brings the best out of you, and that’s why they win. If the players want him, we should have him.”

Gilmer went 81-12 with a pair of state championships at Clay-Chalkville before being hired to replace Wade Waldrop at Hoover.

Junior defensive back Jude Williams said on “X” he was “standing ten toes” with the coaches.

“Preparing to be champions isn’t always pretty,” he wrote. “We were soft last year, and this team needs the intensity that our coaches brought to practice every day.”

In a tweet that was posted at 5:13 p.m. and later deleted, the Hoover Bucs Football account posted:

“We hope that the board, the admins, and the AD talk with the players, parents and program before making any decisions. Our kids are/and will always be first! They love playing for this coach, so let it play out and as always go Bucs.”

Neither Hoover athletic director Harley Lamey nor Hoover City Schools interim public information officer Bryan Phillips immediately responded to questions about who is leading the Bucs program at the moment and what’s next for Gilmer and Helms.

Email inquiries to each of the Board of Education members from AL.com weren’t immediately returned Tuesday night. Hoover Board President Kermit Kendrick told AL.com he had no comment at this time.

The Bucs are scheduled to open the 2024 season in a national showcase event in Florida against Western High on Aug. 24.