Isabella High School’s success and postseason appearance during the football season has not gone unnoticed by high schools coaches throughout Alabama.

That was evident as Jared Day will be named the Class 1A assistant coach of the year by the Alabama Football Coaches Association during a banquet on Jan. 28 in Montgomery.

“He’s a guy that I knew from the outside and I could always tell that he put in the work,” Isabella head coach Tate Leonard said. “I’m proud of him and he is very well deserving of the award.”

Day was a member of the Isabella coaching staff and was in charge of the Mustangs passing game and special teams. He was also the head coach and called the offense for the junior varsity team.

He spent each game up in the press box where he relayed checks and what he saw to the coaches at field level.

“It is definitely a team award, no doubt about that,” Day said. “It is a credit to the entire coaching staff and how they have been able to get things back on track.”

He just wrapped up his 10th season involved with the football program and has experienced a roller coaster ride of emotions during the past two seasons.

The Mustangs finished 1-9 in 2015 and 10-2 with a playoff victory last season.

Day credits the turnaround season to the attitude and determination of the players.

“The kids were asked to buy in from the start and they’ve definitely done that,” Day said. “All summer long we had guys here that were ready to work and that just rolled over into the season.”

Throughout the season Isabella showed a knack for producing big plays and points on special teams.

The Mustangs scored 10 special teams touchdowns on the season with five kickoff returns, four punt returns and also a blocked punt.

“Those were huge,” Day said. “Special teams just as important as any other aspect of the game. It can either win it or lose it for you.”