The Straughn Tigers’ football team will add a familiar face to the sideline this fall as 2012 graduate Griffin Windham accepted the position of offensive coordinator.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Windham said. “I told Trent (Taylor) that I wasn’t looking to leave, but when you get asked to come home the answer is always ‘yes.’”

Windham also got married this weekend and said he can’t wait to begin this next chapter of together.

“It’s been a very busy and amazing seven days,” Windham said. “I really don’t think there is a better place to start my new family than at Straughn. It’s where I grew up, it’s where my grandfather was principal and it’s where my parents teach. It’s also where I where I fell in love with the game of football.”

Coaching at Straughn is something that Windham said he has always wanted to do.

“I remember when I was little watching Coach Taylor out there cutting the grass in the stadium and working on the field and thinking I want to be that one day,” Windham said. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to coach at Straughn High School. This was always my endgame. Straughn is where I want to retire, but I didn’t expect to be here at such a young age.”

Windham said he is also excited about the chance to be the offensive coordinator.

“I’ve always been an offensive guy,” Windham said. “Throughout my career, I’ve had the chance to play and coach with some great offensive minds. At Huntingdon, playing for Mike Turk who had a top 10 offense every season really helped me. Working with Ray Wilson at Andalusia has really taught me a lot about game management. In my opinion, Ray is one of the best high school offensive coordinators in the state. Now with Coach (John) Higgins at Straughn with all of his coaching experience and playing experience at the University of Miami. I’ve been able to work with guys that have had a lot of success and think that is going to really help me.”

Going home to Straughn was easy decision for Windham, but he said he was grateful for his time at Andalusia High School.

“I really want to thank Ted Watson for giving me the opportunity to coach at Andalusia,” Windham said. “Coaching at Andalusia has given me experience that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. Being with Trent from the beginning at Andalusia helped me see how to rebuild a program, and that is what I want to do at Straughn.”

Windham graduated from Straughn High School in 2012 and then went on to play offensive line at Huntingdon.

After graduating from Huntingdon, Windham helped out with Straughn’s football team in 2015 before accepting a job at Andalusia Elementary School in 2016.

Along with coaching, Windham will be a paraprofessional at Straughn Elementary School.