Stacy Luker steps down as Sweet Water coach

Sweet Water High School has a football coaching vacancy for the first time since 2002 after long-time head man Stacy Luker resigned Monday.

“It was time. I decided to step back. I’m just kind of looking for God’s lead right now,” Luker said of his decision to step away from the program. “I felt like it is time. I really don’t have a better excuse than that. It has been 12 good years. God has really blessed us here. It’s been great for my family, our program and me.”

A Sweet Water alum who won state championships under legendary Bulldog coach Nolan Atkins, Luker took the helm of his alma mater in 2002, a season in which he led the Bulldogs to a 7-4 campaign just a year after the team stumbled to a 4-8 record.

Luker really began to make his mark in 2004 when he led the Bulldogs to a 14-1 record and the first of five Class 1A state championships with a Super Six win over R.A. Hubbard.

“It has been special. It has been a special run for the last 12 years,” Luker said. “One of my dreams as a young coach was to be the head coach here at Sweet Water. God blessed me by making that dream come true.”

Luker led the Bulldogs to another 14-1 campaign and a second state title in 2006 that culminated with a final round shutout of Cedar Bluff. Luker’s Bulldogs followed that up with a 15-0 state title season in 2007 that saw his team wallop Talladega County Central 42-7 in the championship game.

Under Luker’s guidance, Sweet Water made it three in a row in 2008 when it went 14-1 and beat Speake 42-0 in the state championship game. After stumbling in the quarterfinals in 2009, Luker and his Bulldogs resumed their dynasty in 2010 with a 13-2 season and a 36-0 state title win over R.A. Hubbard.

“The thing about the ride that we’ve had is that it hasn’t been about any one person,” Luker said. “It has been about everybody that has been involved. It hasn’t been about me. It hasn’t been about one person. I can see a lot of faces of former players and coaches. It’s fun to sit back and sort of think about it.”

As Sweet Water jumped to Class 2A in 2012, Luker and his staff rose to the challenge again by taking the Bulldogs to the state semi-finals in 2012 and 2013.

Luker ends his Sweet Water tenure at 131-32, a stretch that includes a 77-5 region record, eight region championships and a 38-7 playoff record. Over the course of his 12 years, Luker’s teams outscored opponents 6,575 to 2,287.

Luker aims to continue his teaching duties at Sweet Water for the duration of the academic year, but said he does want to coach again.

“I hope to finish the year here unless something else comes up. I think I still want to coach,” Luker said.

While his next step is far from determined, Luker indicated he is entirely at peace with the decision he has made.

“It has been easy to stand in front of our kids and tell them and it has been easy to tell other people. I think that is God giving me the right words,” he said.

Luker began his head coaching career at Washington County in 1995 before moving on to Thomasville. His current career record is 171-66.