Pike Road Football has unveiled its complete 2026 coaching staff, a group that pairs championship-tested veterans with dynamic new additions across the Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Middle School programs. Program leaders emphasized a unified focus: elite football IQ, relentless energy, and the development of leaders on and off the field.
Varsity leadership: Head Coach Granger Shook
Varsity head coach Granger Shook returns to lead the Patriots, capping a football journey that spans standout playing days, collegiate accolades, and multi-stop coaching success.
A 2004 graduate of Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, Shook was a multi-sport standout and a member of state title teams in football (2003) and soccer (2004). He played linebacker at Huntingdon College, graduating as the Hawks’ all-time leading tackler, and earned a B.S. in Coach Education and Physical Education, later adding an M.Ed. in Physical Education from Alabama State University; he also holds certifications in Physical Education and Health.
Shook began coaching at Huntingdon under Mike Turk, working with running backs and then linebackers, and his linebacker units became among the program’s most dominant, holding opponents under 100 rushing yards in six games in 2011 and producing 128 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles in 2012. He expanded his résumé under legendary coach Rush Propst at Colquitt County (Ga.) before returning to Alabama as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and head strength and conditioning coach at 7A Prattville High School. In 2020, Shook took over as head coach at Trinity, compiling a 28–9 record with three playoff appearances.
When Ed Rigby stepped away from Pike Road after one season, the Patriots turned to Shook, who is now in his fourth year leading the program; he and his wife, Mallory, call Pike Road home.
Defensive coordinator and JV head coach: Graylin Hodge
Graylin Hodge enters his third year with the Patriots, serving a dual role as Varsity defensive coordinator and Junior Varsity head coach.
Hodge was part of powerhouse Pinson Valley’s staff, sharpening his approach within a culture of defensive excellence at a three-time 6A state champion.
Hodge then served as co-defensive coordinator at Greenville High School under Patrick Browning, former Pike Road head coach and architect of the Patriots’ 2021 5A state title.
At Pike Road, Hodge calls varsity defensive signals while leading the JV program, aligning scheme, standards, and player development to ensure a seamless pipeline to Friday nights.
Middle School head coach: Garrick Pimienta
Garrick Pimienta returns to Pike Road to lead the Middle School program, bringing a family legacy and a track record of program-building.
The son of Troy University’s all-time leading tackler, Garrick Pimienta Sr. (563 career tackles), Pimienta grew up steeped in the game’s demands.
A Tampa native and two-time team captain at Leto Senior High, he played linebacker at Huntingdon College (class of 2017), where he crossed paths with Mike Turk and current Patriots head coach Granger Shook.
Pimienta began as a student coach at Huntingdon, then joined Prattville Christian Academy as a strength and conditioning coach, contributing to the school’s first-ever AHSAA softball state championship.
He returned to Huntingdon to coach running backs before joining Pike Road as co-offensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach—helping the Patriots win the 2021 5A state championship and go 36-2 during his assistant tenure.
Pimienta moved to Greenville High School as offensive coordinator and then head coach for three seasons, emphasizing accountability and academics. The Greenville Advocate reported that, for the first time in school history, no athletes had to attend summer school and eligibility was never in question during his tenure.
Now back at Pike Road, he’s tasked with introducing the next generation of Patriots to a championship standard. Pimienta and his wife, Rasheeda, have a daughter, Paxton.
Varsity staff
- Head Coach: Granger Shook
- Strength & Conditioning: Stewart Lowery
- Co-Offensive Coordinator: Josh Clark
- Co-Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line: Corbin Stewart
- Running Backs: Kerry Coston
- Wide Receivers: Dacoda McConnell
- Quarterbacks: Carson Daniel
- Defensive Coordinator: Graylin Hodge
- Linebackers: Levi Lowery
- Cornerbacks: Desmond Knight
- Defensive Line: Rishard Davis
- Defensive Line: Heath McCray
- Defensive Assistant: Chris Boykin
Junior Varsity staff
- Head Coach: Graylin Hodge
- Offensive Coordinator: Carson Daniel
- Defensive Coordinator: Levi Lowery
Middle School staff
- Head Coach: Garrick Pimienta
- Wide Receivers: Donaven Roberson
- Offensive Line: Weston Vaughn
- Defensive Line: Ahmad Lee
- Linebackers / Defensive Coordinator: KJ Lawrence
Meet the new faces
Pike Road has fortified multiple position rooms with experienced additions who bring championship résumés, classroom leadership, and deep local ties.
Coach Rishard Davis — Varsity Defensive Line Coach
- Record of 70 wins as a head coach, highlighted by a 2020 state championship and a 2017 runner-up finish in Arizona’s competitive 2A division.
- Will also teach Math at Pike Road High School.
- Family: Wife Anjelica; children Arliyah Grayson, Jaylah Davis, and Jorenzo Davis.
Coach Desmond Knight — Varsity Cornerbacks Coach
- Montgomery native and Huntingdon College alum who played alongside Head Coach Granger Shook and DL Coach Rishard Davis.
- Brings 15+ years of coaching experience, including deep postseason runs: 2018 AHSAA 6A state semifinalist (Wetumpka HS), 2017 6A state runner-up (Wetumpka), 2008 5A state semifinalist (G.W. Carver–Montgomery).
- Will teach Collaborative Special Education at the high school.
- Family: Married to LaTonya; children Karlyn and DeAndre.
Coach Levi Lowery — Varsity Linebackers Coach / JV Defensive Coordinator
- Previously coached H-backs/TEs at Pike Road; has worked at Montgomery Catholic, as Inside LBs coach at Trinity, and as assistant offensive line coach at Prattville High School
- Brings cross-discipline insight from both sides of the ball to build high-IQ defenders.
Coach Dacoda McConnell — Varsity Wide Receivers Coach
- Adds elite, upper-level playing experience to the passing game to elevate perimeter matchups.
Coach Kerry Coston – Varsity Running Backs Coach
2021 Troy University graduate with play-calling experience as Offensive Coordinator at Goshen High School and Run Game Coordinator at Pike Liberal Arts School.- Brings
an eye for therun-game,who reads defensive fronts to maximize every yard, charged with helping establish a physical, late-season ground attack.
From Shook’s proven program leadership to Hodge’s varsity defense and JV development, and Pimienta’s middle school foundation, Pike Road’s 2026 staff is built to sustain success. The program’s newest additions deepen the roster of educators and mentors on campus and on the sideline—committed to building complete student-athletes while positioning the Patriots to compete at a championship level this fall.
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