Glenn Daniel, Hall of Fame Football Coach, Dies at 95
A legendary head football coach from the Yellow Hammer state has passed away. Glenn Daniel, the Hall-of-Fame Luverne High head coach, died on April 3 at the age of 95.
Daniel coached the Tigers for 38 years, and became the first football coach in Alabama to win 300 games. In his 46-year coaching career, he compiled an overall record of 302-169-16.
“We will all miss his presence,” said AHSAA executive director Steve Savarese. “He was an icon within the coaching profession who touched the lives of so many students, coaches, future coaches and countless other individuals resulting in his legacy perpetually living forever.”
He was inducted into the inaugural Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
In 1999, he was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of fame – the first of only two coaches from the state to receive the honor. The other, legendary Vestavia Hills head coach Buddy Anderson, was inducted in 2018 and retired in 2020.
Daniel lived a vibrant life, first as an impressive baseball, basketball and football player at A.G. Parrish High in Selma. After high school, he served in World War II with his final station being in England.
Once the war ended, the 6-foot-4 Daniel found himself at the University of Kentucky trying out for Adolph Rupp’s basketball team. He was one of five freshmen on the team, but returned to Alabama the summer after his freshman year.
He had received a call from his high school coach Comer Sims, who informed Daniel that Pine Hill High School needed a football coach. The salary was $2,100 a year, and Daniel accepted due to needing a job to support his growing family.
In his first season in 1947, the team went 1-9. By the time 1951 rolled around, Pine Hill finished 10-0. In 1955, Daniel accepted the head job in Luverne – where he remained for the rest of his life.
In his time as the Luverne head coach, the team only had four losing seasons despite playing much larger schools. However, none of his teams finished with less than four wins – and two of those teams still qualified for the state playoffs. In 1992, the Tigers won the Class 2A state football title. Glenn Daniel retired at the end of the following season in 1993.
“He never stopped teaching and leading,” said Scott Rials, former coach at Luverne who is now at Baldwin County, to al.com. “He will truly be missed.”
Written by: Reagan Cofield
