Pelham High School’s search for a new football coach and athletic director ended last week in Elizabethtown, Ky.

The Shelby County School Board approved the hire of Brett Burnett at last Thursday’s meeting.

Burnett posted a 44-28 record as head coach at Kentucky’s Elizabethtown High School, where he led the Panthers to three winning seasons and an appearance in Kentucky’s 2-A championship game in 2003.

He had three players sign scholarships with Division I schools this season, including quarterback Chris Todd, a Texas Tech signee who benefited from the coach’s &uot;wide open&uot; offense.

&uot;We throw a good bit but we try to spread the field and force other teams to defend us,&uot; Burnett said.

Under Burnett’s tutelage, Todd threw for more than 10,700 yards and 120 touchdowns during his career.

Burnett, who left for Pelham with his wife and son Monday afternoon, said he plans to conduct spring practice and hopefully schedule a spring game when he arrives.

&uot;We are extremely excited about coming to Pelham,&uot; he said.

Burnett replaces former head coach and athletic director Sammy Queen, who was fired from the position in November after posting a 5-5 record