The Andalusia High School Quarterback Club and Hall of Fame Committee will honor a former coach, three former players and a championship football team in its fourth annual induction ceremony.

BARFIELD

Doug Barfield was head football coach at Andalusia High School in 1966-67.

During his athletic career, Barfield was a high school athletic director and head football coach, a college assistant coach and offensive coordinator, as well as head football coach at Auburn University. After his coaching career, he also served as athletic director at the University of Mobile and UMS Wright Preparatory School in Mobile. His record as a football coach during this period was 117 wins, 54 losses and two ties.

Barfield coached at Auburn University from 1972 until 1980, where he served as head freshman coach, offensive coordinator and head coach with a record of 29-25-1. He served as head football coach and athletic director at UMS Wright, Andalusia, Hillcrest of Evergreen and Opelika High School with a combined record of 88-29-1. Barfield was also an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at University of Southern Mississippi and Clemson during his career.

He earned 11 varsity athletic letters at Clarke County High School, and earned honors as a distinguished military student and football captain at the University of Southern Mississippi. He later earned a master’s in education administration from Troy University.

He was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2011; was Alabama 6A coach of the year in 1991, and was working coach of the year in the SEC in 1974-75.

 

Doug Collins

Doug Collins was a starter for Andalusia High School from 1976-1978, playing on state championship teams in 1976 and 1977. He played both offense and defense for Coach Don Sharpe, on teams that compiled an astounding 35-1-1 record.

Coach & Athlete Magazine named Collins First Team All-American as an offensive lineman in 1978 and the Orlando Sentinel named him to the First Team All-Southern Team as an offensive lineman in 1978. The Birmingham News named him Super All-State in 1978 and Second Team All-State in 1977.

Collins was considered the top football prospect in Alabama by virtually every major newspaper in 1978. He signed a football scholarship at the University of Alabama, where he lettered as an offensive lineman his freshman and sophomore years.

 

Kyle Gantt

Kyle Gantt was a three-year starter at fullback and linebacker at AHS and was named best back and best offensive player as a senior. He earned 13 varsity letters at AHS, and The Birmingham News named him Honorable Mention All-State in 1968.

Gantt earned a football scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was a three-year letterman and two-year starter at linebacker. He played in USM’s win over Archie Manning’s Ole Miss team in 1970, a game selected by USM as one of their “15 greatest games.”

Gantt led the team in tackles with 130 as a junior in 1971. He was selected defensive player of the game against Virginia Tech, received the Thad “Pie” Vann Senior Leadership Award; and was named permanent team captain in 1972. He was USM’s first president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

 

Ashton Wells

Ashton Wells was a three-year letterman and three-year starter in football at Andalusia High School (1956 – 1958). He started at running back and defensive back on AHS’s undefeated 1958 state championship football team. His teammates elected him permanent team co-captain. He also was named best blocking back, and received an Honorable Mention All State, in spite of missing three games due to an injury.

In the opening game of the 1958 season against T.R. Miller, Wells accounted for 212 yards and scored two touchdowns. In the spring of 1959, Wells won five gold medals in the district track meet and four in the conference meet.

He earned 13 varsity letters in the four major sports at AHS (1956-1959), an accomplishment that has only been equaled by one other person. In 1959, he signed a football scholarship to the University of Alabama. He has the added distinction of being in the first class signed by the legendary Coach Paul W. Bryant at Alabama. A significant knee injury in his freshman season ended his football career.

After his injury, he was granted an “all sports scholarship” by Alabama to play baseball. He was a three-year letterman (1962-1964) and was selected to the All SEC team his junior year with a batting average of .396, the second highest average in the conference. In 1963, he was elected vice president of Alabama’s A Club.

After graduating from Alabama in mechanical engineering, Wells joined the Navy and attainted the rank of lieutenant (1965-1970). He was a carrier pilot who had approximately 150 night and day carrier landings while serving aboard the USS John F. Kennedy (1969-1970).

Wells was MVP on the Thirteenth Naval District championship fast pitch softball team in 1968. He later earned a master of engineering degree at the University of Florida in 1974. In 2010, he retired as a regional finance director for General Parts, Inc., of Raleigh, N.C. He served as president of the Andalusia Board of Education for 12 years and is currently a member of the Andalusia Utility Board.

 

1977 Andalusia Bulldog Team

The 1977 Andalusia Bulldog Team was 14-0 and on the Class 3A State Championship.

The offense scored 422 total points during the 14-game season, averaging 30.1 points per game.

Defense allowed only 52 points during the 10-game regular season for an average of only five points per game.

The defense recorded three shutouts during the four playoff games.

Seniors on the 1977 team also lay claim to playing on the 1976 State Championship Team and playing on the 1975 State Runner-Up team.

The senior class, over a three-year period, had an astounding record of 40 wins, one loss and one tie. Hence, they compiled the greatest record in the history of Andalusia High School.

 

The ceremony is set for Fri., August 9. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the banquet begins at 6. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Harold’s Furniture, Advantage Realty, Quarterback Club members or Hall of Fame committee members.