2026 Pike Road Football Coaching Staff Announced!

As we gear up for an unforgettable 2026 season, we are thrilled to announce the full Pike Road Football coaching staff for our Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Middle School football teams.

From championship-winning veterans to dynamic new voices, this staff brings elite football IQ, relentless energy, and a unified commitment to developing leaders on and off the field.

Here is the powerhouse lineup leading our Patriots into battle this season:

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Varsity Head Coach: Granger Shook

Granger Shook’s journey to the Pike Road sideline is the story of a football lifer — a player turned coach who has spent his career absorbing lessons from some of the game’s best minds and delivering results everywhere he has stopped.

A 2004 graduate of Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, Shook was a standout multi-sport athlete, earning a place on both the 2003 football state championship team and the 2004 soccer state championship team. He went on to play linebacker at Huntingdon College, where he became one of the program’s most accomplished defenders and graduated as the Hawks’ all-time leading tackler.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Coach Education and Physical Education from Huntingdon, later adding a Master of Education in Physical Education from Alabama State University. He is also certified in both Physical Education and Health — a credential set that reflects his commitment to developing athletes as much in the weight room and classroom as on the field.

Shook’s coaching career took shape at Huntingdon College under Mike Turk, where he coached running backs before transitioning to linebackers. Under his guidance, the Hawks’ linebacker corps became one of the most dominant units in the program, holding opponents under 100 rushing yards in six games in 2011 and combining for 128 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles in 2012.

From there, he broadened his experience under legendary head coach Rush Propst at Colquitt County High School — one of the most decorated programs in Georgia history — before returning to Alabama as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and head strength and conditioning coach at 7A Prattville High School, one of the state’s largest and most competitive programs.

In 2020, Shook returned to his alma mater to take over as head coach at Trinity, where he compiled a 28-9 record and led the Wildcats to three playoff appearances. When Ed Rigby stepped away from Pike Road after one season, the Patriots turned to Shook — and the fit was undeniable.

Now in his fourth year leading the Patriots, Coach Shook and his wife, Mallory, call Pike Road home.

PIKE ROAD FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF – VARSITY

• • Strength & Conditioning: Stewart Lowery

• • Co-Offensive Coordinator: Josh Clark

• • Co-Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line: Corbin Stewart

• • Running Backs: Kerry Coston

• • Wide Receivers: Dacoda McConnell

• • Quarterbacks: Carson Daniel

• • Defensive Coordinator: Graylin Hodge

• • Linebacks: Levi Lowery

• • Cornerbacks: Desmond Knight

• • Defensive Line: Rishard Davis

• • Defensive Line: Heath McCray

• Defensive Assistant: Chris Boykin

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Defensive Coordinator (Varsity) / Head Coach (JV): Graylin Hodge

Graylin Hodge brings a championship pedigree and a keen defensive mind to the Pike Road sideline. Before joining the Pike Road Football Coaching Staff, Hodge was part of the coaching staff at Pinson Valley — one of Alabama’s premier 6A programs and a three-time state champion — where he developed his skills in a culture built around defensive excellence and sustained winning.

Most recently, Hodge served as co-defensive coordinator at Greenville High School under head coach Patrick Browning — himself a former Pike Road head coach and architect of the Patriots’ 2021 5A state championship. The experience of coordinating a varsity defense under a coach with deep ties to this program made Hodge a natural fit when Coach Shook went looking to bolster his defensive staff in 2023.

Now in his third year with the Patriots, Hodge has grown into one of the most important figures in the program — calling the defensive signals for the varsity squad while simultaneously leading the JV program as head coach, ensuring the next wave of Patriots are prepared to step into Friday night roles.

PIKE ROAD FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF – JUNIOR VARSITY

• • Head Coach: Graylin Hodge

• • Offensive Coordinator: Carson Daniel

• Defensive Coordinator: Levi Lowery

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Head Coach (Middle School): Garrick Pimienta

Football is in Garrick Pimienta’s blood — literally. The son of Garrick Pimienta, Sr., Troy University’s all-time leading tackler with 563 career tackles, the younger Pimienta grew up with a deep appreciation for the game and an understanding of what it takes to build a legacy on the field.

A native of Tampa, Florida, Pimienta was a four-year letterman and two-time team captain at Leto Senior High School before heading to Montgomery to play linebacker at Huntingdon College, where he graduated in 2017. It was at Huntingdon that his path would cross with a future colleague — his coach, Mike Turk, who also mentored current Patriot head coach Granger Shook — forging a connection to Pike Road that would shape his entire career.

After graduating, Pimienta stayed on at Huntingdon as a student coach under Turk before launching his full-time coaching career at Prattville Christian Academy as a strength and conditioning coach. His impact there extended beyond the football field — he was part of the staff that helped lead the school’s softball program to its first-ever AHSAA state championship. He returned to Huntingdon to coach running backs before joining the Pike Road staff as co-offensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach. The result: a 2021 5A state championship and a remarkable 36-2 record as an assistant with the Patriots.

From there, Pimienta took his talents to Greenville High School, first as offensive coordinator under former Pike Road champion coach Patrick Browning, and then as head coach, where he served three seasons and compiled three years of varsity head coaching experience. His tenure was marked by accountability and culture-building — under his leadership, the Greenville Advocate reported that for the first time in school history, no athletes had to attend summer school, and eligibility was never in question.

Now back where it all clicked into place, Pimienta returns to the Pike Road Football Coaching Staff to lead the middle school program — tasked with introducing the next generation of Patriots to the standard that has made this program a championship contender. He brings a decade of coaching experience, a state title ring, and a firsthand understanding of what it takes to build winners from the ground up.

Coach Pimienta and his wife, Rasheeda, are the proud parents of their daughter, Paxton.

PIKE ROAD FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF – MIDDLE SCHOOL

• • Wide Receivers: Donaven Roberson

• • Offensive Line: Weston Vaughn

• • Defensive Line: Ahmad Lee

• Linebackers / Defensive Coordinator: KJ Lawrence

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Meet the New Faces

Patriot Nation, help us roll out the red-and-navy carpet! As we prepare for an unforgettable 2026 season, our coaching staff has added incredible talent, high energy, and a deep championship pedigree across our Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Middle School programs.

These coaches aren’t just here to win on Friday nights—they are dedicated educators and mentors stepping into our community to build leaders on and off the gridiron.

Here is everything you need to know about the newest additions to the Pike Road Football family:

New Varsity Additions

Coach Rishard Davis – Varsity Defensive Line Coach

We’ve added serious championship pedigree to our defensive trenches. Coach Davis joins us with an elite resume of leadership and proven success.

• • The Resume: Brings a stellar record of 70 wins as a Head Coach, including a 2020 State Championship and a 2017 Runner-Up finish in Arizona’s competitive 2A division.

• • In the Classroom: Coach Davis will also be impacting our students daily as a Math Teacher at Pike Road High School.

• Family: Joined in the community by his wife, Anjelica, and his three children: Arliyah Grayson, Jaylah Davis, and Jorenzo Davis.

Coach Levi Lowery – Varsity Linebackers Coach / JV Defensive Coordinator

A familiar face with deep roots in local championship football, Coach Lowery is back to command our second-level defenders and run the Junior Varsity defense.

• • The Resume: Previously served as the H-Backs/TEs coach right here at Pike Road. His versatile background includes coaching at Montgomery Catholic, serving as the Inside LBs Coach at Trinity, and working as the Assistant O-Line Coach at Prattville High School.

• • The Impact: His unique experience coaching both sides of the ball gives him a massive schematic advantage in developing high-IQ defenders.

Coach Dacoda McConnell – Varsity Wide Receivers Coach

We are adding elite, upper-level playing experience to our varsity passing game to help our perimeter playmakers dominate their matchups.

• • The Resume: Played Division I football as a Wide Receiver at Troy University. He spent the last 4 seasons as the Offensive Coordinator at Pike Liberal Arts School and previously coached WRs/DBs at Goshen High School.

• • Multi-Sport Leadership: Showcasing his versatile coaching talents, he also served as the Pitching Coach at Pike Liberal Arts for the past two seasons. He is joined in Pike Road by his wife and two beautiful children.

Coach Kerry Coston – Varsity Running Backs Coach

To win late in the season, you have to establish a physical ground game, and Coach Coston is the perfect mind to power up our backfield.

• • The Resume: A 2021 graduate of Troy University who brings valuable play-calling experience as the former Offensive Coordinator at Goshen High School and the Run Game Coordinator at Pike Liberal Arts School.

• • The Impact: A true run-game specialist who knows exactly how to read defensive fronts and maximize every single yard out of our ball-carriers.

New Middle School Additions

Coach KJ Lawrence – Middle School Linebackers Coach & Defensive Coordinator

Our youngest defenders are getting a coordinator who specializes in position-specific mechanics, aggressive schemes, and disciplined football.

• • The Resume: Played linebacker at Valley Forge Military College. He brings a crucial local coaching pedigree to the staff, having served as the Defensive Coordinator at Prattville Jr High and the Outside LBs Coach at Prattville High School.

Coach Weston Vaughn – Middle School Offensive Line Coach

Winning football always starts up front, and Coach Vaughn is here to install technique, grit, and teamwork into our young offensive linemen.

• • The Resume: Brings 2 years of coaching experience at Lee-Scott Academy as an Assistant Offensive Line Coach.

• • In the Classroom: A proud graduate of Auburn University, Coach Vaughn will also be deeply invested in our students’ academic growth as our new 8th Grade World History Teacher.

Coach Donaven Roberson – Middle School Wide Receivers Coach

An exceptional communicator who knows exactly how to break down complex skills and build up our young playmakers’ confidence.

• • The Resume: Originally from Highland Home, AL, and a proud graduate of Troy University.

• In the Classroom: Deeply invested in the foundational education of our community’s youth, Coach Roberson will teach 3rd-grade Math, Science, and Social Studies.

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Playing with Purpose. Leading with Integrity.

With our staff finalized and our recent recognition as an AHSAA Sportsmanship School, Pike Road’s culture of excellence has never been stronger. Our coaches are ready. Our players are hungry. And the stadium lights are waiting.

Let’s make the 2026 season one for the history books.

GO PATRIOTS!