MONTGOMERY, Ala. – In a career that spans nearly five decades, Phillip Lolley coached high school, college and professional football, winning championships at each level.
"I consider myself a high school coach first," Lolley said. "Always have."
A member of Auburn football's coaching and support staffs from 1999-2014, Lolley was inducted Monday into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame.
"It's a tremendous honor and I'm very humbled about it," Lolley said. People say it hasn't sunk in yet. It has sunk in to me. It's something that's very special to me."
An all-state three-sport athlete at South Choctaw Academy, Lolley graduated from the University of West Alabama before embarking on a coaching career that included a 4A state championship at North Jackson in 1993.
He came to the Plains in 1999, first as a strength and conditioning coach before coaching defensive backs, then transitioning to administration, helping Auburn win three SEC championships, the 2010 national championship and earn a runner-up finish in 2013.
"I loved it," Lolley said of his Auburn years. "I appreciate the opportunity they gave me and the trust they bestowed in me.
"It was such an honor coaching some of those guys. Most of the defensive backs I coached made it in the NFL. That was huge for me because I thought that during the process we did something right, which is a spillover from my high school days learning that if we were going to compete every year and be a program, we had to teach.
"It's teaching and it's a process. When I went to Auburn, I took those things that had made me successful as a high school coach and it worked at Auburn."
Class of 2024: Phillip Lolley joined fellow former Auburn staffer Jimmy Perry, a 2022 inductee, in the Alabama HS Sports HOF
Lolley's credibility and connections with high school coaches in Alabama paid dividends for Auburn.
"I thought my high school experience really helped me at Auburn because I knew a lot of these coaches in the recruiting," he said. "They knew how much I respected them and what they do. At heart, I'll always be a high school football coach."
After 15 seasons at Auburn, Lolley concluded his career in the Canadian Football League, helping Edmonton win the Grey Cup in 2014 as the Elks' defensive coordinator.
Lolley takes pride that more than 20 of his former players became coaches.
"That is very special to me because that meant the game meant something to them," he said. "What we did inspired them. That's huge."
In addition to Lolley, three Auburn University graduates are members of the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame's 12-member Class of 2024: Mike Boyd from Horseshoe Bend, Ron Nelson from Central-Phenix City and Chucky Miller from Talladega.
"There's not anybody here I don't know," Lolley said before the induction ceremony. "It means a great deal to be their friend."
Friends, and now, fellow hall of famers.
"Most all of my friends are high school coaches," Lolley said. "And I've gotten to join a lot of them here. It's very humbling. Big names and great football coaches. It's definitely an honor."
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer