eam Alumni Report
All Star Team Alumni Report
who went on to Alabama and the Miami Dolphins, and Jamie
Major from Piedmont who went on to Samford.
Pigskin Roundup: How about being named Mr. Football in
Alabama?
Coty Blanchard: I love baseball. After playing professional
ball, baseball is my comfort zone, where I thrive, and what I
know best. I like football because it requires a lot of energy and
passion. I love football Friday nights, but I would have to choose
baseball as my favorite.
Coty Blanchard: I was shell shocked at first. Growing up I
wanted to be Mr. Football, but while I was playing I really was
focused on winning games. My stats just kept building and
I wound up winning that award over guys like Dee Milliner,
C.J. Mosley, and it seemed like all of Alabama’s future team
(laughing). It was very special and something that no one can
ever take away. Pigskin Roundup: Describe your time playing pro baseball?
Pigskin Roundup: What was your experience in being named
the Pigskin Roundup All-Star Team quarterback twice? Pigskin Roundup: You are now entering your third year
of coaching and made the move from Cherokee County to
Gadsden City. What are your thoughts on coaching?
Coty Blanchard: Well first off, everybody watches Pigskin
Roundup on Friday nights. Anybody that keeps up with high
school football around here watches that show. The banquets
were great and it was really a great experience. Dabo Swinney
and Gene Chizik were the speakers and it was really a big deal.
Pigskin Roundup: Tell us about your playing days at JSU.
Coty Blanchard:It was a great experience. I had committed to
play baseball at Mississippi State, but JSU had been recruiting
me since 9th grade. My dad played football there, I was always
a big Jax State fan, and Coach Crowe and Coach Case were
great. It was hard to de-commit from Mississippi State and go to
Jacksonville State, but I am glad now that I did!
Coty Blanchard: I learned a lot in the pros. It is your job and
all you think about is getting better every day. It is all you do
and all you think about. I was able to play in four major league
games. I got to play against the New York Yankees and against
David Ortiz, David Price, and A-Rod.
Coty Blanchard: I always wanted to coach after playing. I am
totally thankful for the opportunity. I will be coaching receivers
in football and assisting in baseball also at Gadsden City. Coach
Sessions is a great coach and I am excited to go to work every
day. I would like to be a college or pro coach one day, but right
now I am just trying to learn as much as I can and see where it
takes me.
Pigskin Roundup: You led Cherokee County and Jacksonville
State to maybe the most memorable wins in each school’s
history, and you were involved in perhaps the biggest play in
each school’s history as well in CCHS’s state title game against
Jackson and the huge upset by JSU over Ole Miss. Ever thought
about that?
Coty Blanchard: I really have never thought about it that way.
Against Jackson I was just playing. That last drive was just
unbelievable. The first play of the drive I was sacked. Gabriel
Chambers made a great catch for about 30 yards and I scored
the winning touchdown with 26 seconds left.
In the Ole Miss game I was actually the starting punter. I was
supposed to go in on the 3rd series of each half just to get my
feet wet since it was my first college game. I didn’t go back in
until the 4th quarter. We started getting momentum, but I
didn’t know the signals for the two-minute offense so we were
swapping out quarterbacks. They put me in on 3rd down in
the second OT and then on 4th and 15 I just saw two white
jerseys and threw it in the middle of them. I was so caught up in
winning I didn’t realize how big it was going to be for JSU. I was
just glad to be a part of it.
Pigskin Roundup: Which sport do you like better-football or
baseball?
16 | 2017 Pigskin Roundup the Magazine
Hope Miles Downey, General Manager