2026 Florida Coaches Moving Van

Prior to the 2025 season coming to a close for a lot of teams, the Florida Coaches Van got started and shifted into third gear. At FloridaHSFootball.com, our goal is to track them as best to our abilities with our annual Florida Coaches Moving Van. On the 2026 Coaches Moving Van, you can see which schools have changed coaches going into the 2026 season, along with notes on each team that has had a head coaching change so far.

Got an addition to the list or notes to add that we might be missing? Send Joshua Wilson an email at joshua.wilson@floridahsfootball.com. Include “2026 Florida Coaches Moving Van” in the subject line.

LAST UPDATED

Thu. November 13, 2025 – 11:48 AM ET

NUMBER OF CHANGES TO DATE

14 out of 602 programs | 2.32% of programs in Florida

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN

PANHANDLE: 1

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA: 0

NORTHEAST FLORIDA: 3

CENTRAL FLORIDA: 4

TAMPA BAY: 2

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: 1

SPACE & TREASURE COAST: 2

SOUTH FLORIDA: 1

MAP

DUNEDIN

Old Coach: Greg Climan
New Coach: Lawrence “LC” Coleman (Interim)
Quick Notes: Climan was asked to step down after one season, as the school wanted to change direction back on Nov. 5. Climan went 4-6 overall as the head coach of his alma mater. On Nov. 7, the school announced Lawrence “LC” Coleman as the interim head coach.

FHSF ARTICLE: Dunedin changes direction after season under Climan’s leadership; Coleman named interim

EUSTIS

Old Coach: George Wade (interim)
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Wade stepped in as head coach for the Panthers after Darnell Harrison stepped down after one game so far going 1-8 in seven games as the interim head coach, and the school has posted an opening with the FHSAA Classifieds.

FHSF ARTICLE: Eustis and Orangewood Christian announce vacancies as 2025 regular season starts to wrap up

FREEDOM (TAMPA)

Old Coach: Ron Perisee
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Perisee stepped down after two seasons as the head coach after two seasons at the Tampa school going, 5-14 in two seasons.

FHSF ARTICLE: Perisee resigns after two seasons at Freedom (Tampa)

GADSDEN COUNTY

Old Coaches: Travis Gordon (interim); Russell Ellington (previous)
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Gordon led the team on an interim basis for the remainder of the season after Ellington resigned as the season got going, after the program was hit with FHSAA sanctions and players being declared ineligible, along with an FHSAA postseason ban for 2025. Now the school has posted an FHSAA classified ad as of Tuesday, November 4, 2025, seeking a new head coach for the 2026 season.

HILLIARD

Old Coaches: Matt Yancey
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Yancey stepped down after two seasons, going 4-16 over that stretch, citing seeking opportunities closer to home. Next coach for Hilliard will be their fifth in six years.

FHSF ARTICLE: Yancey steps down at Hilliard after two seasons

LAKE BUENA VISTA

Old Coaches: Brant Peddy
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Peddy has departed after three seasons, going 12-17 over three seasons, including a 4-6 campaign in 2025. Peddy was only the second head coach in the Vipers short history as a program.

FHSF ARTICLE: Peddy departs Lake Buena Vista after three seasons

MIAMI NORLAND

Old Coach: Tyronn Johnson
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Johnson was dismissed after going 4-5 in the first nine games as the Vikings’ head coach with the one game left on the 2025 regular season schedule and a potential playoff berth sitting in the balance.

FHSF ARTICLE: Miami Norland dismisses Tyronn Johnson as head coach prior to regular season finale

ORANGEWOOD CHRISTIAN

Old Coach: Carey Metts
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Carey Metts appears to not be returning at the Rams’ head man in 2026 as the school has already posted an FHSAA classified ad seeking a new head coach. Metts so far in five seasons is 21-28 with at least two games left on the schedule (regular season and postseason).

FHSF ARTICLE: Eustis and Orangewood Christian announce vacancies as 2025 regular season starts to wrap up

PORT ST. LUCIE

Old Coach: LaMalik Sherman
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Sherman appears to be out after one season, after an FHSAA classified ad was posted on Nov. 11, marking the opening of the position. Sherman’s departure means the school will be on their third head coach in as many seasons in 2026.

FHSF ARTICLE: Sherman out at Port St. Lucie after one season

RIDGEVIEW

Old Coach: Merlin Smith
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Smith resigned on Fri. Nov. 7 after two seasons, going 3-17 overall and going 2-8 in the 2025 campaign. The school is seeking applications for a new head football coach through Nov. 21.

FHSF ARTICLE: Smith resigns as Ridgeview head coach after two seasons

SANDALWOOD

Old Coach: Brad Kessel
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Kessel stepped down after two seasons, after going 1-19 over two season,s with the lone win coming on Oct. 30 against Terry Parker. Kessel cited issues recruiting enough assistants to manage a large Class 7A program as part of the reasons for stepping down.

FHSF ARTICLE: Kessel steps down after two seasons as head coach

SOUTH FORK

Old Coach: Antwan Blatch
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Blatch resigned on Fri. Nov. 7, after five seasons as the head coach of the Bulldogs, after going 14-36 over five seasons with the Bulldogs’ best season under Blatch’s watch coming in 2023, which was a 4-6 campaign.

FHSF ARTICLE: Blatch resigns after five seasons as South Fork head coach

UNIVERSITY (ORANGE CITY)

Old Coach: Matt Trumbly
New Coach:
Quick Notes: Trumbly resigned on Nov. 5 after one season, going 1-9. The next head coach for the Titans will be the third head coach for the team as in many seasons.

FHSF ARTICLE: Trumbly resigns after one season as head coach at University (Orange City)

WELLEN PARK

Old Coach: New School
New Coach: Sascha Hyer
Quick Notes: On October 27, Hyer was announced as the first-ever head coach for the new program that is set to launch in 2026, located between Venice and North Port. Hyer has previous head coaching experience and served as a longtime assistant coach at Venice, where he was a part of several state championship-winning teams under John Peacock.