BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — At the beginning of their Auburn High School football careers, very few people outside of the program believed in them.
Trinton Pritchett was an athletic offensive lineman whose long, lanky frame was not close to filling out and could barely bench press 135 pounds entering his sophomore year.
Carnell Jackson was a stout defensive lineman who could barely contribute other than using his massive frame to eat up space and help stop the run in short-yardage situations.
Greg Williams was an undersized linebacker who transferred from Tuskegee’s Booker T. Washington High School as a junior in 2024 after being doubted during his time as a Golden Eagle.
Yet for all the obstacles they each faced until now, the three seniors now share a certain distinction: they will represent the Tigers and the entire state at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game later this year.
From his office overlooking the artificial turf practice field, head football coach Keith Etheredge reflected on each of their journeys and raved about the qualities they’ll provide Team Alabama with come Dec. 13.
“All of them are such great kids, such great young men,” Etheredge said. “All of their parents at home have done such an unbelievable job with them. And they’re just unbelievable to coach. Rarely do you get to coach those kids. Sometimes you’ll have the great athlete with not the perfect attitude. Sometimes you’ll have the great attitude, but they don’t have the athletic ability. But these three guys, they’re the total package, man. You feel good every Friday night going out with them and letting them lead your team onto the field and into battle. They’re the guys you like having in the foxhole.”
In his five seasons at AHS, Etheredge has had multiple players selected to the postseason showcase every single year.
With the three selections this year, the Tigers are one of just two teams in Alabama that originally had three players selected. It is a noteworthy achievement since only two teams are allowed to have more than two participating players.
While leadership skills and personal character figure more in the selection process than just physical talent and football IQ, AHS’ three chosen players still bring much to the table on the field.
Greg Williams
Williams, a 6-foot, 210-pound University of North Alabama commit, is a do-all linebacker who has recorded 69 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions in seven games.
Joining the program in 2024 as a junior was not easy. In the first couple of weeks, he was routinely “pancaked” by his teammates on the offensive line. However, he quickly gelled with the rest of the team and became a star, finishing as the second-leading tackler last year.
Now, the opportunity to represent Team Alabama is validation of the bet he made on himself to come to Auburn and prove he had what it took to succeed at one of high school football’s highest levels.
“I’m blessed playing in this game because I was doubted coming to Auburn,” Williams said. “A lot of people were telling me how trash I was going to be, how I was going to be a bust. So I’m happy to prove everybody wrong and play in this game, because that’s the biggest All-Star game in the state of Alabama.”
Carnell Jackson
Jackson, a 6-foot-3, 330-pound defensive lineman with 18 Division-I scholarship offers, is an unheralded tour de force in the middle of the Tigers’ defense who has racked up 26 total tackles, two tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.
Over the years, he has molded himself from a run-stopping specialist into a three-down nose guard who can line up anywhere across the defensive line.
After getting his start in the program as a seventh grader, the chance to represent the Tigers and play in such a prestigious event is a dream come true.
“It’s a blessing, man, to be able to play in this game,” Jackson said. “That was one of my goals: either play in the All-American game or the Alabama versus Mississippi game. So for sure, I’m happy to be selected to play this game.”
Trinton Pritchett
Pritchett, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound Troy University commit, has proven to be a steadying presence at right tackle on an offensive line that was shuffled around early in the season.
However, Pritchett is not the first player in his family to be selected to participate in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. His older cousin, Tyler Pritchett – who played for the University of North Carolina and also wore No. 75 for AHS – was selected to the game in 2015.
For the younger Pritchett, the experience is a full-circle moment of sorts that he is excited to carry with him to Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
“I had a cousin who went to Auburn High School,” Pritchett said. “Actually, he wore No. 75 too, and then he went on to play in the [Alabama-Mississippi All-Star] Game. So I guess I’m carrying on the family lineage.”
How to watch
The Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game will be held at the University of Southern Mississippi’s M.M. Roberts Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 13 at noon. Admission will be $10. The game will be livestreamed through FNUTL.com and will also be available through the MAC Network, Roku, AppleTV, YouTube and Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Scenes from Auburn High games showing Williams (No.3), Jackson (No. 99) and Pritchett (No. 75) in action. PHOTOS BY JERRY BALLAS | FOR THE OBSERVER
