GAINESVILLE, Fla. — With the final step to fully closing the 2017 season is almost here, we are proud to reveal our candidates for our Class 4A Coach of the Year candidates. For Coach of the Year, five coaches are selected as candidates based upon the resume they had for the season. For Player of the Year, three players are selected on offense and three on defense as candidates for Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. One player from each classification of the six candidates total will be selected as the Overall Player of the Year for their respective classification.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Watch the first team reveal for all eight classifications including the award winners for Coach of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Overall Player of the Year, this Wednesday night on the FloridaHSFootball.com Gridiron Report on Varsity Sports Network, starting at 8:00 p.m. EST / 7:00 p.m. CST by clicking here.
Without further ado, here at the candidates for 2017 Class 4A Coach of the Year:
• Deran Wiley, Jacksonville Raines (13-1) – Lead the Vikings to their second state championship game appearance in three years, and their first state championship victory in 20 years and remains the only public high school in Duval County to win a state championship in the FHSAA playoff era.
• John Wilkinson, Cocoa (11-2) – Had guided the Tigers to a state-record 11 straight state semifinal appearances dating back to 2007 as well as guiding them to their second straight state championship game appearance.
• Daniel Luque, Fort Lauderdale University School (9-1) – Guided the Sharks to their first state semifinal appearance since 2012 and earning the No. 1 seed in Region 4.
• Brian Tomlinson, Starke Bradford (10-1) – In his first season as head coach, guided the Tornadoes to the No. 1 seed in Region 2 and to the schools first state semifinal appearance since 2004.
• Rickey Armstrong, Callahan West Nassau (9-2) – Led the Warriors to their first playoff berth since 2012, earning the right to host their first playoff game since 1978, and to their second playoff win in school history.
