Billy Hudson

Billy Hugh Hudson was selected “Best Athlete” and “Best All-Around” at Marshall County High School in 1947. His Wildcat activities included football, basketball and baseball.

Hudson earned a reputation as a tough lineman and was rewarded by being selected team captain. He attended Auburn on scholarship before transferring to Jacksonville State in 1948.

Jax State coaches Don Salls and “Dirty” Wedgeworth helped develop Hudson into one of the Gamecocks’ best, being selected to the school’s All-Time team. His Gamecock football days were interrupted by the Korean War. He served two years in the U.S. Army, having played one year of service football before going to Korea.

Hudson became the head coach at Randolph County High School at Wedowee in 1955. His third season found the group rated the 3A preseason top team. Hudson’s success continued as head coach of Clay County at Ashland in 1958-59. Alabama Governor Bob Riley played on one of Billy’s teams at Clay County.

With a Cheaha Conference Coach of the Year award, Hudson next headed to Boaz. The 1962 Pirates beat his alma mater, Guntersville, for the first time in 20 years. He was selected head coach of the North squad for the 1964 Alabama High School All-Star Game. Other outstanding accomplishments for the Pirates under Hudson include the first time in 21 years Boaz pulls a shocker, downing the Albertville Aggies 14-6; first Boaz player, Ray Elrod, selected for the All-Star game; Cloyce Darnell, first Pirate to sign with a Southeastern Conference team, Vanderbilt; and Jim Bishop, first Boaz player in the NFL and the Marshall County Sports Hall of Fame.

Hudson’s final stop was at Muscle Shoals in 1967 where he took over the entire athletic program in addition to coaching football. The 1969 Coach of the Year led the Trojans to an 8-2 record, snapping Russellville’s 41-game undefeated streak. Hudson’s Trojans of 1970 won for the first time over Deshler.

At age 69, Hudson was in his second six-year term on the Colbert County School Board when he lost a year-long battle with cancer. His wife, Tena, finished the unexpired term and then was elected to a term. Billy and Tena have four children, Helen, Billy Jr., Harold and Beth, and seven grandchildren. His son, Billy Jr., has served on the Muscle Shoals City Council and is the current superintendent of Colbert County Schools.

Coach Billy Hugh Hudson was inducted into the Colbert County Sports Hall of Fame May 13, 2003.