Throughout history, Coaches have moved around more than chess pieces. While that remains

true since the beginnings of the sport, the past has set the school and community of Hanceville

on a higher plane.

The first records identifying a fledgling program reveals the Depression era opened up the

initial full-season team schedule for the Hanceville Bulldogs. They sought out a young,

talented, multi-sport athlete for his first coaching job. In 1929, Hanceville tabbed H. L. Ogle. His

trek through college ports including a run at professional baseball had the 6’ 4’ (Naturally

nicknamed “Shorty”) land in southern Cullman County as the football head man. He remained

there with a 24-10-4 record until Decatur came calling with an offer too good to pass up. $100

per month lured him to the big city school where he stayed through 1963. During his tenure

“Shorty” had 12 one-loss or fewer seasons. The Stadium in Decatur bears his name to this day.

Earl Webb was born and raised in Hanceville. His high school football exploits were virtually

non-existent since football was suspended from 1943-’47. World War will do that. Ironically,

Earl managed to hone his skills in community league games until graduating in 1946 and Uncle

Sam’s call to War. Upon his return, Webb attended St. Bernard and starred in three sports then

moved to Florence State to play football. He got his first job at Falkville where The Blue Devils

had not won a game in 2 years. He went 7-2-1 in his first year. He also coached basketball

there. Webb picked up stakes and landed at Arab in 1955. His last several years had winning

teams. He next took off to Lanett where his second team went 10-0 and was declared the State

Champions by the Birmingham News and Montgomery Advertiser. The reputation Webb had

created of rebuilding programs all around opened up the Decatur job. In 1966, Decatur had

gone 0-10. Coach Webb lead his team in three years to a 9-1 record. By 1971, Decatur won

their first playoff State Championship by defeating Butler 8-0 in the title game. A great coach

and gentleman, Earl Webb had many successes beyond the sideline and was elected to the

Morgan County Hall of Fame as well as the Alabama High School Athletic Association Hall of

Fame in 1993. And it all started in Hanceville, Alabama.

Next up, Bill Doty attended Hamilton and Florence State where he got his degree. He accepted

the Head Football Coaching position at Hanceville in 1951. Doty’s career was a bit nomadic but

he spread success in many of his stops including 1A State Champs at Winston County in 1961

declared by the Birmingham Newspapers. Next, he was State Championships at Russellville in

1966, ‘67, and ’68 awarded by Birmingham Newspapers. He took his traveling road show to

Bradshaw for 5 years then Muscle shoals for one last year in Alabama. He retired in this state

only to go to Tennessee in the early 1980’s. He is a member of both the Winston County Sports

Hall of Fame and the AHSAA, inducted in 1992.

John Meadows was a native of Neel in Morgan County where he attended Falkville, a terrific

athlete and Valedictorian of his class. After a stint in the military during World War II, Meadows

excelled in football at Jacksonville State making Little All-American and a Hall of Fame caliber

player. Meadows began his coaching career at Cullman High School as an assistant for 3 years.

His opportunity to be the head coach came in 1955 at Hanceville, began one of the most

distinguished Coaching careers in Alabama history. Among the most impressive

accomplishments of his illustrious career is having an undefeated season at every stop in his

career. Off he went to Gordo in 1957 for two years then on to a seven-year run at Scottsboro,

including a 3A State Championship in 1965. He had 5 undefeated teams and 5 State playoffs. In

those days, playoffs did not always exist as we know it today. They had “High School Bowl

Games” where Coach Meadows won all 3 his teams participated in at Scottsboro. Meadows left

Alabama coaching but not Coaching. He went to Tennessee and carried his successful attitude

and ability. He won 87 games in 11 years at Lincoln County, Tennessee. Meadows was inducted

into several County Hall of Fames and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

In 1957, the future coach was a star quarterback at Hanceville High. After graduation, Rayford

“Ray” Talley went to Jacksonville State on a football scholarship. Talley finished school and took

a job as a math teacher but was called to military service with ROTC to Germany. Upon his

return, Coach Talley was hired as an assistant at Cullman High School. In 1966. Talley assisted

his friend Dafford Smith with the B-Team. Talley’s first shot at the big chair in 1974 at Falkville.

After two years with a 13-8 combined record, Coach Talley came back home in 1976 and

remained until 1990. Talley had only two losing seasons as the Bulldog leader and made the

semifinals of the playoffs 3 times. Coach won 117 times in his 15 seasons at Hanceville. The

stadium has been named for Coach Ray Talley and he is a member of the Cullman Sports Hall of

Fame.

Many fine men have followed these legends and are a part of the ongoing history as it is still

being written. What a legacy the town and surrounding community has for over one hundred

years in the game of football!