This is an opinion piece.

Caleb Ross has spent the last four years on college football fields around the South, but he has always held one truth to be evident.

“I’ve always said that, from a football perspective, there is nothing better than Friday at 7 p.m.,” he said. “I would tell the college guys that all the time. Nothing beats two communities coming together on a Friday night and playing a high school football game.”

That knowledge, in part, has brought Ross back to the state of Alabama and back to high school athletics, although in a different capacity.

Earlier this month, the former McGill-Toolen, Opelika and Prattville head coach was named to Heath Harmon’s Alabama High School Athletic Association staff in Montgomery. He is an assistant director with football and baseball as his chief responsibilities.

He started his new job Monday after leaving Jon Sumrall’s staff at Tulane.

“College football was a great experience,” said Ross, who spent three years at Troy and one at Tulane after leaving high school football. “I’ve been on the field at Oklahoma and in other SEC stadiums. All that was great. There is still nothing better than high school sports.

“This is obviously a different role. One thing I’ve really missed is the fraternity of coaches that you have in high school and especially in the state of Alabama. There are some things you just can’t replicate. I’ve missed that. It’s one of the many things I’m looking forward to in this job.”

Ross has been to the mountain top of high school football in Alabama.

He led McGill-Toolen to the Class 7A state title 2015. He won 30 of 38 games in three years as the Jackets head coach and has a 64-31 record in eight years overall as a head coach.

He’s also one of the most genuine coaches and people I’ve ever been around. The AHSAA staff has undergone wholesale changes since last summer, but the addition of Ross is a home run for Harmon.

“I saw a chance to have an impact,” Ross said of taking the new job. “I’ve been a coach for a long time. I’ve enjoyed that. I loved it. I saw this as being a different opportunity. My role is more of a coordinator, a director of football and a couple of other sports, too. I love dealing with the players. I love dealing with the other coaches. To me, this is a good mix. I can come in and have a bird’s-eye view of things and maybe make an impact on the game of football and not just at one school.”

Family also has a little something to do with Ross’ move.

He and wife Amy have two young children.

“I have kids who are 10 and 8 at the house, and that had a huge impact,” he said. “The college grind is 365 days a year. In season, you are talking 110 hours a week, and that’s a minimum. Out of season, you are still talking 75 or 80 hours. My kids are getting older. I know there will be some long hours in this job but not quite like that. For me, this was a chance to have an impact on the game and also step back and be a good husband and father.”

Will Ross ever walk the sidelines in high school or college again?

He’s not ready to completely close that door, but he definitely seems ready to make this a career move.

“Nobody knows what the future is, but I’m going full speed into this,” he said. “I want to make a difference. I chose this for a reason. I’ve learned never to say never, but we are all in here, and I’m excited for the opportunity. This was God led, and I mean that. Our lives work better when we let Him lead. I know that is easier said than done for all of us, but I really feel I’m at the right place at the right time.”

And high school athletics in the state of Alabama will be better for it.

Super 7 decision looms

The AHSAA’s Central Board of Control is scheduled to meet Wednesday, and the location of future Super 7 football championships could be on the agenda. (Although winter weather could force a change in the meeting).

Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery and Troy all have been talked about as possibilities to host the championship games in the future after Auburn and Alabama were removed from the rotation due to the expanded college football playoff.

One interesting idea that has been floated – depending on the eventual site – is the possibility of going from a three-day event to four days. The Super 7 has opened Wednesday and finished Friday recently, avoiding the conflict of going up against college conference championship games on the first Saturday of December.

Is that still a big deterrent for Saturday play or could the Super 7 even open on Tuesday and end on Friday? The event includes the seven classification title games and a pair of girls flag football games.

I wouldn’t mind it going four days. From a coverage standpoint, it would allow us to focus more on two games a day than the normal three and would allow all the teams to use the normal lockerrooms at any of the stadiums. Currently, the middle games each day use auxiliary lockerrooms because of the timing of the games.

Just a thought.

Maybe we will find out soon what the plans are for the location and the schedule.

Thought for the Day

“New Year. Same God.”

Ben Thomas is the high school managing producer at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at bthomas@al.com.