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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

One of the AHSAA’s all-time leading tacklers Malachi Allgood put pen to paper and signed a full scholarship on April 11 to play college football at Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee. Allgood capped one of the most prolific high school careers a linebacker has ever had in Alabama with a scholarship to jump to the next level.

“I just loved it (at Maryville),” Allgood said.

Coachable was the buzz word thrown around by Thorsby head coach Daryl Davis throughout Allgood’s high school career. Davis said Allgood is by far one of the most coachable players he has ever had, and it started when he first stepped on the football field in seventh grade.

“It just started so early and young with him, and a lot of kids in the seventh grade are not coachable, but he was locked in from a young age,” Davis said.

Allgood got better every year through Davis’ eyes by learning how to break down film better, operating better with his coaches and always keeping a motive of wanting to make every tackle in any given game. While undersized compared to most middle linebackers, that has not slowed Allgood down at all. It may have given him a bit more to lean on during his progression through high school, too.

“I think he had a chip on his shoulder of people doubting him or telling him he is too little,” Davis said.

That chip led Allgood to finish his high school career ranked tied for 19th on the AHSAA all-time tackles list with 455 in just three seasons from 2022-24. Allgood’s 35 games is one of the lowest number of games played amongst the top 30 tacklers of all time, and he averaged 13 tackles per game during his Thorsby career.

During his recruiting process Allgood visited Maryville for a game during the 2024 season, and the environment, atmosphere and packed stadium all drew the senior to the program. While he had other options on where to attend school, Allgood chose Maryville because he believes the program can push him to get better more than any other program.

“Coach (Scott Brumett) and I really clicked, and he is a little antsy like me and we like to get moving,” Allgood said. “They all made me feel like a part of it and like family. I thank everyone (at Thorsby) — my coaches, the staff, teammates and everyone around, and I appreciate the support.”