Saint James football coach Neal Posey is leaving the school for a college position.

The school released the news Tuesday afternoon, and Posey confirmed it to AL.com. He could not specify what his new job is or where it is located yet. He hopes to be able to release that later in the week.

“My family and I are incredibly grateful for the many years with the Saint James School community,” Posey said in a release. “It truly is a special place, and we have greatly enjoyed being part of the Trojan family. Although, we are said to leave Saint James, we are excited about the opportunity to move into the college coaching world.”

Posey told his team the news Tuesday afternoon.

“It was tough, but it was something I couldn’t turn down,” he said.

Posey, a former Huntingdon College quarterback, joined the Saint James coaching staff in 2015 as the running backs, wide receivers and special teams assistant coach. In 2018, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterback coach under Hall of Fame head coach Jimmy Perry. In that position, he helped the Trojans win the 2022 3A state championship.

When Perry retired after that season, Posey was promoted to head coach. In 2023, the Trojans went 11-3 overall. They lost to eventual 3A champ Mobile Christian 34-30 in the state semifinals.

“Coach Posey has been an outstanding member of our Trojan coaching staff for more than nine years,” Saint James head of school Larry McLemore said in a prepared statement. “We are grateful for his leadership and may contributions to our football program and the whole child development of our student-athletes. We wish him the very best and much continued success in his new role.”

According to the school release, the Trojans will begin an immediate search for a new head coach. Saint James has made the playoffs in 10 straight seasons under Perry and Posey.