VOTE: Which new Tampa (FL) area football head coach will turn things around the quickest?
TAMPA, FL – A slew of new head football coaches came onto the scene this off-season in the Tampa area, as vacancies were plenty and high school football programs were searching for lead men. It hit the Tampa Bay Area hard especially, with Hernando County having two new head coaches and Pasco County with seven.
Hillsborough and Pinellas counties also saw an influx of new head coaches being hired this off-season, bringing on the question which football program will see the quickest turnaround when it comes to a new hire? Here is a thumbnail analysis of seven we believe are worth watching and we invite you to vote on who you believe has the inside track on turning things around the quickest.
Alphonso Freeney, Pasco: Freeney comes over from Mitchell to take over a Pasco program that went 0-10 in 2021. The Pirates have talent to work with and Freeney, a former Jacksonville State fullback, could have this program seeing its old winning ways sooner rather than later.
RELATED: Pasco (FL) football team hopes to recapture past years glory with new mentality in 2022
Allen Suber II, Sunlake: When it comes to coaching experience, there’s no shortage of that with Suber II, who formerly was an associate head coach at Bethune-Cookman University. Suber II raves about the work ethic of his new team and with the Seahawks coming off a 2-7 season, Sunlake is hungry for wins
Dan Goodspeed, Land O’ Lakes: The former NFL/CFL offensive lineman was formerly an offensive line coach at River Ridge High School for some time before landing at Land O’ Lakes. The Gators went 9-1 last season but lost several kids this off-season who transferred out. Goodspeed will have his work cut out for him, but a 21-0 spring win over Wesley Chapel by the program is a good sign.
John Scargle, Hernando: This isn’t Scargle’s first go around as a head coach, with him formerly being at Palm Harbor University. His most recent gigs have been being a defensive coordinator at Countryside, Clearwater and now takes over a talented bunch at Hernando. It’s a youthful Leopards’ team, but they did go 6-5 in 2021 in reaching the playoffs.
Michael Clayton, Plant City: The former NFL wide receiver now joins the high school football fraternity as a head coach and the Raiders are ready to win some games under his watch. Plant City went in a different direction after hovering around the .500 mark in 2021 and Clayton will be tasked with making the Raiders elite.
Auggie Sanchez, Seminole: A 3-7 record is the best the Warhawks have been able to muster up in the last decade and the University of South Florida’s all-time leading tackler is looking to change all that. Though it is Sanchez’s first head coaching gig, he has been a college assistant at USF and Florida State.
RELATED: Seminole (FL) hires former USF linebacker Augie Sanchez as head football coach
Jeremy Frioud, Tarpon Springs: Frioud is no stranger to Tarpon Springs, as he is an alumni of the school. This also isn’t his first go around being a head coach, as Frioud was at Northeast for several seasons before exiting. Now he gets to take over a Spongers’ team that went 3-7 last season and wants to get back to winning games annually.
Jeremy Frioud, the new head man at Tarpon Springs, addresses his troops at a spring workout. Photo courtesy of Tarpon Springs High School Football.
Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.
