Former Chattanooga Christian football coach Barry Loyal, most recently an assistant at Signal Mountain, is the new head coach at his high school alma mater, Trinity Presbyterian, in Montgomery, Ala.
According to a Montgomery Advertiser story, the 50-year-old Loyal graduated from Trinity in 1985 and was the Wildcats' offensive coordinator during a 69-10 stretch from 2000 to 2005. He then was hired to start the football program at CCS, which played its first varsity season in 2009.
The start-up Chargers were 13-37 in Loyal's five varsity seasons, and he spent the last three years on Signal's staff, the last two as defensive coordinator. He was a three-sport star as a Trinity student.
"I don't think I can put my feelings into words," he told the Advertiser's Stacy Long about returning as a Wildcats head coach. "I'm humbled by the opportunity and hope to be able to continue what the school already has. The tradition that is at Trinity, you don't find that everywhere."
He succeeds Randy Ragsdale, who resigned last month after 28 years as the football coach but remains a principal at the school. Ragsdale compiled a 242-86 record.