High School
Alan Metzel, of the Jeff Traylor coach tree, carves his own legacy
Gilmer Buckeyes head coach Alan Metzel fed senior running back Will Henderson with the game on the line. It resulted in his first state championship win as a head coach.
ARLINGTON -- Facing a 4th-and-6 from Bellville's 17-yard-line and nursing a 28-26 lead, Gilmer head coach Alan Metzel thought back to all the years he spent coaching with Jeff Traylor in the 2000s.
Traylor was present on the sidelines watching the program he'd built attempting to win its first state championship without him as the head coach. His name is carved on Gilmer's home stadium. The past two head coach hires after him, Matt Turner and now Metzel, were Gilmer assistants for parts of Traylor's journey to five state championships and three rings. They'd formed this program on a philosophy - 'Players, not plays.' Who is the dude? Get that man the ball and give him a chance.
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