Phinizee’s on-field status uncertain
Cam Phinizee, a football star at Russellville the last two years who was arraigned July 31 on felony murder and first-degree robbery charges, faces football uncertainty while awaiting trial.
Phinizee is innocent until proven guilty, but he’s no longer at Russellville, coach Dustin Goodwin said a month ago.
Phinizee’s potential plans for this fall, while awaiting trial in Lauderdale County, are not known, his attorney, Tony Hughes, said on July 31.
Phinizee is a twotime All-State running back and, according to AHSAA records, and is Russellville’s all-time leading rusher. He was the Class 5A back of the year in 2024 as a junior for the Golden Tigers and named one of the state’s top 12 players, regardless of school classification, by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
He is also the two-time reigning TimesDaily large school player of the year.
Phinizee is a major college football prospect.
Now, he stands charged in the March shooting death of 13-year-old Ryland Calvert.
Phinizee is out of a $60,000 bond and must wear an ankle monitor, said Chris Connolly, Lauderdale County’s district attorney. Whether Phinizee could wear an ankle monitor while playing is unclear. The AHSAA did not respond to questions about that possibility on July 31.
