Seth Parker returns home as new head football coach
“When I was five years old watching my dad coach at Bob Jones, in my heart I knew I wanted to do this.”
MADISON – Seth Parker has returned to his roots. Returning to his high school alma mater, Parker was named the new head coach of the Bob Jones football program by the Madison City Schools at a recent Board meeting and officially introduced as their choice to head up the football program at a gathering The son of former Madison City Schools Superintendent and Bob Jones principal and longtime coach Robby Parker, and Anita Parker, Parker now becomes the 12th head coach in the history of Bob Jones, which opened in 1973. The school has had only three winning coaches among their tenure at the school and Parker replaces Kelvis White who retired from coaching late last year after posting a 29-35 record over six seasons as head coach.
“When I was five years old watching my dad coach here at Bob Jones, in my heart I knew I wanted to do this. Taking this job is a dream come true,” said Parker, 30. “My mother and father raised me with passion for athletics and I bleed Patriots’ red, white and blue. What an honor it is to coach my favorite team.”
Parker was head coach of the Priceville Bulldogs the last two seasons where he posted a 10-12 overall record and 5-7 in region action. In the just completed 2025 season, the Bulldogs were 8-4, 4-2 and lost to Moody High 60-14 in the first-round of the Class 5A playoffs. Parker was named Class 5A Coach of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. The Bulldogs averaged scoring 30 points while allowing 18 per outing. Prior to taking his spot in Priceville, he was the offensive coordinator at Bob Jones for three seasons and coach at Athens High.
“My coaching style is the way we attack every day is the right way even things like cleaning our locker room, keeping it tidy and showing respect,” he added. “I will give you everything I’ve got every single day. I think we all know what the right way is as I want people to see what Bob Jones is not by the way we play, but by the passion and energy of how we fly around. That’s who we will be.”
While a student at Bob Jones, Parker lettered in football, baseball and track and later attended the University of Alabama where he was a student assistant for football. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education Social Studies. He has been a history teacher in the classroom. Parker is married to Sutton Parker, as they were high school sweethearts while both attended Bob Jones. They now have three children through six and a half years of marriage and have been together for 15 years.
Parker is known to strive for his athletes to focus on physicality while he builds a culture of athletes becoming successful in all aspects of participating in sports. He takes over the Bob Jones program immediately. He added, “I thank my immediate family especially my wife, Sutton, who I met here at Bob Jones when were both students. She was a cheerleader and I was playing football. We have a daughter and twin sons. I’m so blessed those kids will be Bob Jones Patriots.”
Kurt Yancey, athletic director at Bob Jones, said of Parker during the introduction ceremony, “I appreciate his passion and love for the game as he has a true thirst and knowledge for this. He has a true passion for Bob Jones High School. I saw him grow knowing this is what he wanted to do.”
Parker said he’s still contemplating having spring practice for his team or pushing that back to add another week to summer-fall practice. He wants his team to be solid in tackling and blocking and believes if you can run the ball on offense, you can win games.
