Vicksburg’s Eric Bingham Helped Heidelberg High School to a District Championship

Heidelberg, Ms-Vicksburg native Eric Bingham recently helped the Heidelberg High School football team to a district championship. Bingham serves as the team’s defensive backs coach where the Oilers now have a 10-1 record.

“It’s a great accomplishment anytime you get to win a district championship but it’s just one piece of the puzzle because we’re aiming for a trip to Hattiesburg for the championship,” Bingham said.

Bingham’s secondary has produced nine interceptions on the year as the Oiler have only allowed one team in their district to score any points on them. Collins High scored only six points against Heidelberg as the Oilers crushed them with a final score of 52-6. Heidelberg’s defense also has six shutouts in the 2024 season.

Bingham is a 1996 graduate of Vicksburg High School where he played football under Head Coach James Knox. He played running back and linebacker for the Gators before eventually earning a scholarship to Hinds Community College where he was on the 1997 championship team. After playing at Hinds CC, Bingham took his talents to Belhaven University where he played free safety. 

By the early 2000s, Bingham found himself starring in the National Indoor Football League for the Tupelo FireAnts. He was quickly named an Atlantic Conference Eastern Division All-Star after leading the team with 70 tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. 

“Bingham is a very talented football player that will be able to make a big contribution on the defensive end of the ball,” FireAnts Head Coach Bobby Hall said in 2003.

Bingham took his first coaching job in 2005 at Tupelo Middle School and High School where he coached the defensive backs. He eventually took an extensive break from coaching as he is now in his first year back.

Heidelberg is coming off a 66-0 first-round playoff win against Clarkdale High School. They will now move on to host Bogue Chitto on Friday in the second round in their quest for a championship year.