Major hire
RUSSELLVILLE LOOKS TO RIDE HIGGINS’ BOOST
It was going to take a great opportunity for Darrell Higgins to leave Mars Hill at the end of last season.
He’d been there for 10 years, coaching the Panthers to four state championships and seven region titles. After a perfect 15-0 2025 and a second straight state championship, and with his son, Hudson, graduating, Higgins felt it was the best time for a change.
Russellville was worth making that change.
That tradition, the passion for football at Russellville, trickles down to the players, who make sure they carry the torch.
Payton Schofield, a senior defensive lineman and tight end, has been around Russellville his whole life, growing up watching his older brother, Michael, play for the Golden Tigers. Schofield got to play with his brother his freshman year, when Michael was a senior, so he learned how Russellville does things from his sibling.
“He kind of showed me the steps, and how to do things correctly and not fall into the wrong path,” Schofield said. “I’ve really enjoyed my three years. I’m excited for Coach Higgins, just carrying on with us, making us stay on the right track and turning this football program completely around.”
That leadership can present itself in different ways with this group. When the Golden Tigers need a voice to step up and galvanize them, it usually comes from junior linebacker Braxton Duncan.
Duncan, who was credited with 147 tackles last season, is back to lead Russellville’s defense, coached by Bill Kilpatrick, who comes over with Higgins from Mars Hill.
“He’s a very vocal guy,” Schofield said of Duncan. “That’s what we need more of on our team. Some people, when things start getting rough, they just kind of give up, they just quit talking and focus on doing their job right. But Braxton’s just a very vocal leader. Whether things are good or bad, he’ll always end up talking.” After a 7-5 season in which it lost 42-7 in the second round of the 5A playoffs to Briarwood, Russellville has an ultra- motivated group that’s excited for a fresh start with Higgins.
“We can shock everybody,” Schofield said.
Combining Higgins’ winning ways with its tradition, this edition of Russellville will try to make history of its own.
“The tradition is really strong and outstanding,” Higgins said. “Russellville wants to be champions. And so, that’s the standard. That’s what we’re trying to build.”
