GAINESVILLE – The finalists for the 2015 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Football and Football Coach of the Year have been announced following balloting by a statewide panel of high school football coaches and prep media representatives.
Every finalist was the leading vote-getter in his classification, making each one the Player of the Year or Coach of the Year in his class. The two overall winners will be announced following a final round of balloting by coaches and media.
Following are the finalists for the 2015 Mr. Football Award:
Woody Barrett, Senior, Quarterback, West Orange, Class 8A Player of the Year
Dual-threat quarterback completed 119-of-221 passes for 2,018 yards with 20 TDs and 5 interceptions. Rushed for 1,413 yards on 189 carries (7.5 average) with 23 TDs. Committed to Auburn University.
Tre Nixon, Senior, Wide Receiver, Viera, Class 7A Player of the Year
Nixon helped Viera to its first state championship game appearance with 74 catches for 1,224 yards (16.5 yards per catch) and 18 TD receptions.
N’Kosi Perry, Junior, Quarterback, Ocala Vanguard, Class 6A Player of the Year
Perry completed 128-of-223 passes for 2,307 yards with 32 TD passes and only two interceptions in leading the Knights to the district title. He has already committed to play for the University of Miami.
DeShawn Smith, Senior, Running Back, Nature Coast Tech, Class 5A Player of the Year
Smith rushed for a state-leading 3,715 yards on 241 carries (15.4 yard average per carry) and scored 60 TDs. Only Derrick Henry (4,261) and Travis Henry (4,087) have rushed for more yards in a season in the state of Florida.
Henry Colombi, Junior, Quarterback, University School, Class 4A Player of the Year
Colombi completed 181-of-282 passes for 3,044 yards with 34 TD passes and 9 interceptions. He also rushed for 520 yards on just 43 carries (12.1 average) with three rushing TDs.
Billy Cobb, Senior, Quarterback, Trinity Christian, Class 3A Player of the Year
Cobb helped Trinity Christian to its third straight state title by completing 140-of-230 passes for 2,579 yards with 29 TD passes and six interceptions. Committed to Delaware State University.
Avery Thomas Sophomore, Quarterback, North Florida Christian, Class 2A Player of the Year
Thomas completed 147-of-234 passes for 1,848 yards with 24 TD passes and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 191 yards and another TD in leading his team to a district championship.
Hamp Cheevers, Senior, Running Back/Cornerback, Trenton, Class 1A Player of the Year
Two-way standout who rushed for 1,069 yards (11.4 average) with 21 TDs, had 173 receiving yards and 4 TDs, returned four of his seven interceptions for TDs and had both a kickoff and punt return for a touchdown.
Following are the finalists for the 2015 Football Coach of the Year:
Doug Nichols, Kissimmee Osceola, Class 8A Coach of the Year
Nichols’ squad posted a 13-1 record and advanced to the state championship game for the second straight year. In six years at Osceola he has posted a 66-13 record with two other state semifinal appearances (2012-13). He has an overall record of 81-29.
Curt Bradley, Braden River, Class 7A Coach of the Year
Bradley has completely transformed the program since taking over four years ago, posting records of 1-9, 6-4, 10-1 and 13-1 this season in leading his squad to the state semifinals.
Sean Callahan, Seffner Armwood, Class 6A Coach of the Year
Callahan led Armwood to a 14-0 record and a spot in the state finals for the third consecutive year. In 26 years at the school he has posted a 254-78 record with two state titles (2003-04) and five other state final appearances (2005-10-13-14-15).
Matt Hedrick, Bishop Moore, Class 5A Coach of the Year
Hedrick led his squad to the state championship game with a 13-1 record. In 14 years at Bishop Moore he has posted a 115-44 record with a state semifinal appearance in 2014.
Deran Wiley, Raines, Class 4A Coach of the Year
Wiley took over a program that went 2-8 in 2008, the year before his arrival, and led it to a 12-2 record and a spot in the state championship game this season.
Verlon Dorminey, Trinity Christian, Class 3A Coach of the Year
Dorminey led his school to its third straight state championship, and sixth of his career, on its way to a perfect 14-0 season. In 25 years Dorminey has posted a 246-61 record, including a 38-3 mark during the past three years.
Bob Dare, Cambridge Christian, Class 2A Coach of the Year
Dare enjoyed the finest season in his 28-year coaching career, leading his squad to a 13-1 record and a spot in the state championship game. In seven years at Cambridge Christian he has a 48-26 record with an overall record of 167-119.
Andrew Thomas, Trenton, Class 1A Coach of the Year
Thomas led Trenton to a 14-0 record and its second state championship (2013). In five years at the school, he has compiled a 60-5 record, including another state final appearance in 2012.
Matt DiBernardo, Oak Hall, Independent Coach of the Year
In his first year at Oak Hall, DiBernardo, who had been the longtime assistant head coach at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, returned to his native Florida and helped turn around a program that had won only two total games in the previous two years.
