McKenzie School football players, parents, faculty and fans gathered Thursday night to welcome the Tigers’ new head football coach.

For the second time in two years, McKenzie’s Quarterback Club held a Meet the New Coach event.

Last year the Tigers held the event to get better acquainted with head coach Scott Curd. Following an 0-10 season last year, Curd resigned for personal reasons, leaving the vacancy open.

Thursday, the Quarterback Club welcomed new head coach

David Kirkland, who was hired by the Butler County Board of Education earlier this month.

Kirkland said he knows it’s going to be hard work to turn the program around, but is up for the challenge.

&uot;The learning curve is going to be a lot shorter for me because these guys have been in a different system,&uot; he said. &uot;If I had been here in the spring, it would be different because they would already know what I’m talking about. Terminology is going to be a big problem because if I ask them to run the slant, they may not know what it is. We’re going to play it by ear.&uot;

The Andalusia native joins McKenzie by way of Straughn1 High School where he served as a volunteer assistant coach from 1997-2000 before

being hired as a defensive coach in 2001.

Kirkland has a master’s degree in physical education from Troy University as well as a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Auburn.