Vigor High has turned to a familiar face to lead its football program.

The Mobile County Board of Commissioners on Friday approved Renardo Jackson to be the Wolves’ new head coach.

Jackson spent 14 years as an assistant coach at Vigor before leaving in 2022 for his first head coaching job at LeFlore.

“Words can’t describe how this feels,” Jackson said. “When you dedicate almost 15 years to a place and then they reciprocate like this, it is really more than a dream come true. To have an opportunity to lead the Vigor football program is definitely something I won’t take lightly.”

Simone Eli of WKRG-TV in Mobile was the first to report.

Jackson replaces John McKenzie, who was relieved of his coaching duties in January less than a year into his second tenure at the school. The Wolves went 12-2 in 2024, losing to eventual champion Montgomery Catholic in the Class 5A semifinals.

Since Kerry Stevenson left in 2012 after a decade as Vigor’s head coach, the Wolves’ football leadership has changed hands six times. Jackson believes he is the man who can stabilize the program again.

“I think my longstanding relationship with the community and the administrators and my maturity gives me the ability to keep the program on the right track,” he said. “I think Vigor can really benefit from a little stability and familiarity right now. Of course, we will continue to do things the Vigor way.”

The Wolves have won four AHSAA state playoff championships in 1987, 1988, 2008 and 2021. Jackson was defensive coordinator on the last state title team. Vigor also won a mythical championship in 1960.

Jackson, an Atlanta native who spent the last three years leading the Rattlers, said Vigor will have a spring practice but likely won’t play an opponent in the spring.

“I really can’t thank the superintendent (Chresal Threadgill) and the administrators enough for the opportunity to come back home,” he said.