High School

Florida high school football coaching updates: Pine Forest tabs Navarre assistant Tony Carter as new head coach

Also in other coaching news, Brian Allen returns to Columbia for his second stint as head coach

Andy Villamarzo

When it comes to high school football around the Sunshine State, it’s unique compared to the other 49 around the country. It’s become a 365 days a year sport in terms of training filled with a lot of transition when it comes to head coaching positions.

This off-season has seen a major overhaul when it comes to head coaches around the state. Here is a look at some of the changes around Florida.

Pine Forest tabs Navarre assistant Tony Carter as the program’s new head coach 

Navarre’s football program loses one of its top assistants and Pine Forest gains a new head coach. 

Raiders assistant Tony Carter has been tanned as the Eagles’ new head coach, according to a source. Pine Forest is coming off a 10-1 season, which saw them lose in the Class 3S region semifinals to Choctawatchee 30-29. 

The Eagles were early favorites to compete for the Class 3S state championship before falling in the second round. Pine Forest is just a year removed from finishing as a state finalist in Class 5A before losing to Jesuit in the state title game. 

Carter was a lead assistant for the Raiders, whom went 8-3 in 2022. The Raiders qualified for the Class 4S playoffs before falling to Creekside 47-20 in the region quarterfinals. 

Brian Allen returns to Columbia for second stint as head coach 

Coming back to where you had success for a second time? 

Brian Allen comes back to Columbia for his second go around as the program’s head coach, per a report by Lake City Reporter’s Jordan Kroeger. 

Allen spent 10 seasons with the Tigers before stepping down after the 2020 season. During that time, Allen compiled a record 86-33 and 10 playoff appearances. 

The program has reached the state semifinals twice in the past decade, with once under Allen (2015) and the other being last season under Demetric Jackson. Columbia should be a force again in Class 3S with Allen back at the helm. 

Hilliard names former Miami Dolphins’ running back Daniel Thomas as new head coach 

An alum of the Red Flashes is returning to where he built his name on the high school football circuit. 

Former Miami Dolphins’ running back Daniel Thomas has been named the football program’s new head coach, according to WJXT4’s Justin Barney. Thomas takes over in place of Wayland Cox as lead man. 

Hilliard is coming off an 8-3 season in Class 1R and saw their campaign end in the playoffs, a 31-13 Lafayette loss in the region quarterfinals. The Red Flashes have won 26 games in the last three seasons. 

Thomas played collegiately at Northwest Mississippi and Kansas State before being drafted into the NFL in 2011 as a second round pick. He rushed for 1,480 yards and scored 10 touchdowns in his 4-year NFL career (2011-2014). 

Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo. 

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Andy Villamarzo

ANDY VILLAMARZO

Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.

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