Andalusia’s Jackie Burkett and Opp’s Mike Dubose were inducted into the 2015 Wiregrass Sports Hall of Fame this past weekend in Dothan.

Although he didn’t play much while at Andalusia, Burkett credits his time at Andalusia as being the building blocks for his illustrious career at both Auburn and during his 11-year NFL career.

“I played a little bit of varsity football while at Andalusia, but it was mainly when the games were already decided,” Burkett said. “I actually only started during JV games.”

After his sophomore season, Burkett’s family moved to Ft. Walton where Burkett would go on to be a two-year starter for Choctawhatchee High School.

After graduating high school, Burkett went on to have an incredible career at Auburn University to play linebacker and center for the Tigers, where he would go on to earn All-American honors, and was a part of the 1957 AP national championship team.

His time at Auburn caught the attention of the NFL, where he spent 11 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys.

In 1959, Burkett was selected in the first round (12th overall) by the Baltimore Colts. In 1967, Burkett was on the New Orleans Saints inaugural season roster.

Burkett’s first tenure with the Saints only lasted one season, before heading to the Cowboys for the 1968 and 1969 seasons. Burkett returned to the Saints in 1970 for his final season before retiring.

Burkett played in 121 games during his NFL career, starting in 20 of them, and finished with 10 career interceptions.

Dubose, who grew up in Opp, played at Opp High School before playing for the University of Alabama under legendary Crimson Tide coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, where he was a part of the 1973 national championship team.

“It’s a great honor to be selected to the 2015 Wiregrass Hall of Fame,” Dubose said. “Not only for me, but for my family, former teammates, former players, my former coaches and coaches that have coached with me. I’m humbled to be selected but, I want to give thanks to all those who have given me an opportunity to coach. My family has sacrificed a lot over the years allowing me to coach.”

After his playing career ended, Dubose went into coaching that began as a graduate assistant for the Crimson Tide in 1975.

Following the year as  a graduate assistant for Alabama, Dubose was named assistant coach at Fairhope High School during the 1976 and 1977 seasons.

Dubose then got his first job as a head coach at Prattville High School during the 1978 and 1979 seasons.

In 1980, Dubose moved into the college ranks as a defensive line coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Dubose served as defensive line coach at UTC for two seasons before heading to Southern Mississippi for the same position.

Dubose would only spend one season at Southern Mississippi before returning to Alabama as the defensive line coach for the Crimson Tide under new coach Ray Perkins.

After four years as the Tide’s defensive line coach, Dubose followed Perkins to the NFL and coached the defensive line at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three seasons.

In 1990, Dubose returned to Alabama and served as defensive line coach under Gene Stallings for six seasons, and was a part the Tide’s national championship season in 1992.

In 1996, Dubose took over as Alabama’s head coach following the retirement of Stallings.

Dubose was head coach of the Tide from 1997-2000, and led the Tide to an SEC championship in 1999.

Dubose was also the first Alabama coach to beat Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium, and beat them the very last time the Iron Bowl was played at Legion Field.

The 1999 season was the first time since 1992 that either Alabama or Auburn had won consecutive Iron Bowls.

Following his time at Alabama, Dubose spent a year out of coaching before taking a job as head coach for Northview High School.

After one season at Northview, Dubose spent two seasons as head coach of Luverne High School.

Dubose then joined the college ranks again and spent five seasons at Millsaps as defensive line coach and then head coach.

His last college job was as defensive line coach at Memphis for two seasons before returning to Luverne.

Dubose spent two seasons at Luverne, and is now back in Opp as a special assistant to the defense.

“We are excited to be back home,” Dubose said. “Opp has always been home to us even when we were in Tuscaloosa, Tampa, Chattanooga, Mississippi, Northview and Luverne. It’s good to be part of the Bobcats again.”