Longtime Dr. Phillips (Fla.) head football coach Rodney Wells has decided its time to hang up the whistle at his alma mater.
According to an announcement by Wells via his personal Facebook page, the Panthers’ lead man is stepping down as head football coach of Dr. Phillips after 15 seasons at the helm. Wells led the Panthers to the Class 7A, Region 4 final, falling to state finalist Vero Beach.
“After so many blessed seasons, memories and relationships I am stepping away from the game I love,” Wells said in the social media post. “Coaching at DP, My Alma Mater, has always been about the young men who trusted me, showed up every day, and gave everything they had. To my players, Thank you for your extreme effort, your resilience, and for allowing me to be a small part of your journey. You are champions on and off the field and I am proud of each of you.”
Congrats to Rodney Wells on an amazing head football coaching career at Dr. Phillips. Quite a run for him and the Panthers. Bummer to see so many familiar faces stepping away from the game in recent years. pic.twitter.com/RcM9oS65OB
Wells took over the program in 2011 and found immediate success at Dr. Phillips, putting together seven double-digit win seasons and accumulating an overall record of 136-50 from 2011-2025.
Dr. Phillips High School, located in Orlando, FL, is renowned for both academic excellence and a strong athletics program. The Panthers, with their vibrant royal blue and black colors, have a rich tradition in sports, particularly in football and basketball, where they have gained statewide recognition. The school’s commitment to fostering well-rounded students is evident in its diverse extracurricular offerings and competitive sports teams that regularly compete at the highest levels in Florida.
How to Follow Florida High School Football
For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Sunshine State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Florida high school football excitement across the state.
“It has been an honor and the privilege of a lifetime to serve as the Head Football Coach of my alma mater. Servite High School is a uniquely special place because of the authentic relationships and bonds forged. I am grateful for the opportunity to have led such tremendous young men on their journey to becoming faith-filled leaders while simultaneously developing as football players. I will remember fondly the way we served our players, teaching life lessons and helping them compete on the gridiron. I am proud of the progress that we have made in the Servite football program, and I believe the future is very bright.”
Across his three seasons at the helm, Reinert led Servite to a 20-16 record. He quickly rejuvenated the program in his first season in charge in 2023, as the Friars won eight games and made a run to the Division II state championship game, ultimately falling to Mission Viejo.
The last two seasons have seen Servite finish with a 6-5 record. In 2025, it still ended last season as the No. 10 team in California, according to the Rivals Composite Rankings.
The Anaheim program now becomes one of the top available openings in the Golden State. The 2025 roster featured seven ranked prospects, per Rivals. It remains to be seen if the departure of Reinert will cause any form of shakeup to the Friars’ roster, but the likes of four-star interior offensive lineman Elisha Mueller, three-star linebacker Isaiah Leilua, four-star offensive tackle Drew Fielder and three-star wide receiver Benjamin Harris are expected back for the 2026 season.
It remains to be seen what’s next for Reinert. Before coming back to his alma mater, he spent time as an assistant with multiple Power Four college programs, including UCLA, Arizona State and Colorado.
This is the latest big piece of coaching news to rock California not long after the conclusion of the 2025 season. On Monday, it was announced that Rod Sherman was out as head coach of Orange Lutheran, another one of the state’s top programs. Rivals’ Andy Villamarzo has more on the departure of Sherman here.
How to Follow California High School Football
For California high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Golden State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across California.
Another one of Connecticut high school football’s most winningest programs is now searching for a head coach.
According to a Bloomfield Public School District job posting as of February 2, Bloomfield (Conn.) is actively searching for a new head football coach. The Warhawks have won 10 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) football state championships dating back to 1980.
The job summary for the now vacant position reads: Bloomfield is seeking a motivated, student-centered High School Football Coach to lead and develop our football program. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, a commitment to sportsmanship, and a passion for mentoring student-athletes both on and off the field. This position is responsible for fostering athletic excellence, academic accountability, and personal growth in alignment with school and district values.
Bloomfield has won CIAC football state championships in 2023 (Class S), 2018, 2015, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994 and 1980.
With Bloomfield now on the search for a new lead man of their football program, that means it would be the end of the tenure for Ty Outlaw, who led the program to the 2023 title. Outlaw led the Warhawks for 16 seasons, dating back to 2010 when he took over the team.
The longtime Bloomfield head coach compiled an overall record of 138-39 over the span of 16 years between 2010-2025.
Bloomfield High School, located in Bloomfield, Connecticut, is a vibrant learning community dedicated to academic excellence and student growth. Known for its commitment to fostering leadership, creativity, and critical thinking, BHS offers a wide range of extracurricular activities and athletics, including sports teams that compete at the highest levels. The Warhawks pride themselves on fostering an inclusive, supportive environment for all students.
How to Follow Connecticut High School Football
For Connecticut high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Constitution State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Connecticut high school scores and football rankings.
The debate that is raging on from state-to-state around the country is that of public vs. private schools when it comes to high school sports and whether they should be bundled together or separated.
Subjective to whomever you talk to when it comes to this topic, many around the country are feeling some kind of way about how public vs. privates should be handled.
One state that recently decided to make a historic move towards separating the two as Alabama’s AHSAA for the first time in its 104-year existence decided via a 13-2 vote that they will be splitting up the private and public schools when it comes to athletics championships.
This topic has brought different views varying from that private schools will always have the never-ending flow of resources at their disposal compared to publics. In some and maybe most bases, this is true.
Private schools have seen plenty of success in many states around the country that intermingle the two together in classifications and one example is Florida. The Sunshine State has held 100 state championships for high school football since 2015, with private schools winning 44 of those titles.
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) is the standard for Sunshine State high school football as the Raiders have won 17 state championships, currently with seven straight, and are almost an annual visitor to the title game.
Now many might look at that number, 44 out of 100, and think of it as really more as a 50/50 chance a private school could really win a state championship. That’s because in a state like Florida where the lenient state-level “school choice” laws, where student-athletes are able to freely move based on the district’s approval they’re heading to. Some much more merciful than others.
“It’s gone from, you grew up in a school district, and you had to go to a school. Now with school choice, you can go to any school as long as there are seats available in that school,” Influencer Counsel athlete agent Dan LaForest said via a FOX 35 Sports report.
“It’s tough on a high school coach. They have to create an environment that kids want to play. It’s not x’s and o’s anymore. I think x’s and o’s are a piece of it.”
What might be the biggest driver of causing high school football coaches up the wall when it comes to every off-season is the constant flow of transfers happening like free-agent signings, ranging from commitment posts to their next school or even posting a number of high schools an athlete may be choosing from.
In a state like California, where transferring has become a way of life, looking for ways to curb the problem is a daily task that the Golden State takes head on regularly.
“Transfer rules are cyclical,” CIF Southern Section assistant commissioner Thom Simmons said via a High School On SI report in the spring of 2025. “When I started in 1997, there was a rule for student-athletes to get one free transfer. But since then, the rule has changed into something else and that has changed into something else again — now here we are talking about it again. Transfer rules is a living, breathing thing. It’s always being talked about at the state level.”
As the drive to compete for state championships and even mythical national titles begin to heat up year in and year out, programs are looking to continue to keep up with each other and not lose a step. That has caused an imbalance, in many opinions, when looking at private vs. public school success rates.
In many cases, there’s private and public schools that vacuum up much of the area’s talent, leaving other programs left struggling for talent. At the end of the day, both sides have a case and there’s problems from transferring leniency with state associations to no multiplier when it comes down to schools that accumulate a number of transfers in an off-season.
Not all public schools, though, are created equal as they’re are plenty of examples around the country when it comes to programs competing on a national level and having arguably as much talent as any private school teams.
Taking a look at a team like Buford out of Georgia, the Wolves were the 2025 consensus high school football national champion by many media outlets and its not just because of the great coaching and tough practice habits. It’s also because they were pretty loaded compared to many teams throughout the Peach State.
Buford featured 20 three-star or above high school football prospects on their 2025 roster, with 11 others that are receiving Division I interest. It’s no secret that you need the per se Jimmy’s and Joe’s to keep up, along with knowing the X’s and O’s of the game.
Mount Carmel(IL), like the aforementioned St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders of Florida, had just defeatedOswego, 20-3, back in December to notch the program’s 17th state championship.
That reoccurring result has heated up the debate throughout the Prairie State on whether the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) should look towards splitting up the private and public schools into separate classifications.
Caravan head coach Jordan Lynch, a former Northern Illinois star quarterback, sounded off back during the 2025 season about the evergreen public/private debate within his own state.
‘‘Everyone has it tough,’’ Lynch said via a report. ‘‘There are pros and cons to every school. At the end of the day, look at yourself in the mirror. If you didn’t win or you are just not good enough, accept that. Stop looking for excuses. It’s kind of getting exhausting.’’
Is it really just all about stop making excuses and do better or is there an advantage at a private school over a public one? Realistically, all over the country, this topic can create the argument for one side over the other because of the resources the alum, community or donors decide to give a high school towards their overall athletics.
Alabama decided to take a new stance towards private/public and do something unprecedented.
Now other high schools are starting at their state associations in the face and wondering if they’ll do the same and follow suit.
This private/public debate continues to capture the attention of everyone around the nation because of the fact that there’s advantages that look one-sided. Reality is there is programs on both sides that have advantages over others and that goes up the food chain of schools in every state, almost no matter where you go.
How to Follow National High School Football
For national high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals National High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals National High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement across the country.
Rod Sherman is officially out as Orange Lutheran (Calif.) head football coach, according to Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times. He compiled an overall record of 33-29 during his time at Orange Lutheran.
Sherman’s wife, Kristen, is also the school’s girls flag football head coach.
This past season was an up-and-down campaign for Orange Lutheran as the Lancers went from 4-4 to 2-6, having to forfeit their first two wins of the season against Miami Northwestern, a 17-13 victory on the field, and a 27-24 decision over Rancho Cucamonga due to use of an ineligible player.
A student-athlete had transferred to Orange Lutheran before the 2025-26 school year, which the unnamed player was cleared to play with his residency was deemed valid. Under further review, however, it was later discovered that the change of residency was not valid, thus making the player ineligible after the fact.
Before returning to Orange Lutheran, Sherman went to Colorado to coach at Valor Christian in 2012. There, Sherman was the head coach from 2012-2017 and compiled a 57-11 record, winning three CHSAA state championships. Sherman also was the head football coach at Arapohoe (CO).
In 2024, Sherman notched 100 wins for his high school football head coaching career.
Orange Lutheran High School, located in Orange, California, is a distinguished private Christian school known for its rigorous academics, strong athletics, and vibrant extracurriculars. Offering a range of AP and honors courses, the school prepares students for higher education and future success. Orange Lutheran’s athletic teams are highly competitive, frequently achieving state-level success. Emphasizing leadership, faith, and community service, the school ensures students are well-rounded and ready for future challenges.
How to Follow California High School Football
For California high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Golden State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the state of California.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — In their Morgan State college dorm in the mid-1990’s, Daronte Jones and Melvin Coleman stayed busy.
“We did a lot of battles in Madden,” Coleman told DC News Now. “I’d be in the bed asleep it would be a Saturday and [Daronte] would walk and grab the controller and put the controller by my bed and soon I’d wake up and he’d jump back in like I don’t see him and be like, ‘oh so what you calling me out?”
In January, three decades after his Madden battles as a college football player with his roommate, and many professional and college football coaching stops, Jones has been hired as the Washington Commanders new defensive coordinator.
Daronte Jones, right, and Melvin Coleman, left, during their college days at Morgan State. (Melvin Coleman)
For Jones – it’s a homecoming. He hails from Prince George’s County, where he attended Bishop McNamara high school in Forestville, Maryland.
It’s not just his college friends and teammates who remember the Madden matchups. His good friend and teammate from Bishop McNamara Mike Jones also took part in the legendary video games matchups – though he didn’t know at the time he was facing a defensive mastermind.
“He’s definitely the reason why I stopped playing Madden,” Mike said. “Cause he’s reading all your plays and this was the time when he was early in his coaching career… I’m like dude I’m playing for leisure.”
During his college career, Daronte suffered a neck injury that kept him off the field. Coleman said Daronte would spend more time in the play calling booth during games and was earning a bigger grasp of the game. He said it showed in Madden too.
“That kind of helped us being coaches and our playing careers were done,” Coleman said. “We learned how to think on the run, think quick, make adjustments quick.”
You could call Daronte’s coaching career the Daronte Jones World Tour.
It started in 2001 as a graduate assistant at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne. Coleman said Daronte conducted an interview with the school before they went on their spring break trip senior year. The following years took Jones to Nicholls State (then Division I-AA) as safeties coach, defensive coordinator jobs at high schools in Louisiana and his first return to the DMV where he served as Bowie State’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2009.
Jones bounced around more after that. He was cornerbacks coach at UCLA in 2010, defensive backs coach for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League in 2011, Hawaii’s secondary coach in 2012-14 and Wisconsin’s defensive backs coach in 2015.
Then, Jones made the jump to the NFL — first as the Miami Dolphins assistant defensive backs coach, then the Cincinnati Bengals cornerbacks coach, then the Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach. After a brief stint as LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2021 where he coached star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., Jones returned to the Vikings, where he stayed until this offseason.
“For most people who think that this is a person who’s coming out of nowhere, that’s not true,” Mike Jones said. “This guy has been grinding close to over 20 years. He’s been grinding and getting information from the best minds in football.”
For Mike and Coleman, watching Daronte flourish in the football world has been meaningful, but they’ve also seen his growth as a coach.
Daronte Jones and Melvin Coleman. (Melvin Coleman)
“Secondary wise, pass defense wise, everywhere he’s gone they’ve gotten better,” Coleman, who is now the safeties coach at Morgan State said. “Somebody is doing well, somebody is probably making the pro bowl. Somebody is probably making all-conference. So the proof is in the work.”
Since 2023, Daronte had worked directly under Brian Flores in Minnesota. Coleman said that Daronte’s coaching influences and style comes from several different legendary coaching trees.
“With him being around [Vic] Fangio, Marvin Lewis, [Mike] Zimmer, Vance Joseph and now Flores,” Coleman said. “He’s got a lot work from them. He got a lot of tape to take from them.”
In recent seasons, with Daronte serving as the team’s defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator, the Vikings’ defense has played aggressively, focusing on trying to force turnovers and blitzing at some of the highest rates in the NFL.
Daronte’s high school teammate Mike Jones, who is now a counselor at Bishop McNamara says the way he played was pretty similar to how his defenses play.
“He was always in the right spot… When we look at those old films when we get together, he pops on film,” Mike said. “He’s always going all out.”
Mike said Daronte earned the nickname “Crow” because “he made crow sounds in the backfield.”
“He would make these crow sounds like he’s lurking in the secondary,” Mike said. “He would take on the biggest person on the team in practice even though he was gonna get knocked down… He’s not scared.”
According to his friends, Daronte’s days at McNamara mean a lot to him. Several years ago, Daronte donated to the Bishop McNamara football program. His contributions provide student athletes with scholarship assistance. Daronte’s name is now etched on a plaque in the McNamara locker room, noted him as a 1996 graduate and that year’s male athlete of the year. Daronte played football, wrestling and track & field at McNamara.
“He’s been able to come back and give back to the community itself in terms of the program and the school,” Bishop McNamara football head coach Greg Calhoun said. “But he’s also been able to take advantage of the opportunities to give back.”
Calhoun told DC News Now that he referenced Daronte as inspiration and motivation for his players and as an example to potential recruits.
“I actually just had a set of recruits come through and we just showed his locker again as we always do,” Calhoun said. “A lot of great coaches out here in the world but for him to be selected for that job and that opportunity in this community, is huge.”
Daronte Jones’ locker plaque in Bishop McNamara high school’s locker room. (Alex Flum)
Bishop McNamara plays in one of, if not the best high school football conferences in the country, the WCAC. The Mustangs last won a WCAC championship in 1990. Since, the conference has been dominated by blue blood programs DeMatha, Gonzaga, St. John’s and Good Counsel.
But in 2025, months before Daronte being hired by the Commanders, a few seasons into his tenure in Forestville, Calhoun helped his team take a massive step forward. The Mustangs beat their rival Gonzaga, 21-0 on October 11. Gonzaga was the eventual WCAC runners-up.
The following week, McNamara fell just short to eventual undefeated WCAC champion DeMatha, 12-7. They were one of two teams to come within five points or less of the Stags all season long. It was also DeMatha’s second lowest scoring output of the season.
“We’re not always the first names mentioned in that league,” Mike said. “Now we have something that we can definitely hang our hat on in conversations… Now we have the defensive coordinator of our local team.”
Calhoun believes that an esteemed alum calling plays down the road, could further fuel his players.
“Just knowing that you have somebody of that magnitude at that level kind of puts that pressure on you obviously as the current student in that process, just letting you know you have some big shoes to fill,” Calhoun told DC News Now. “You have some expectations, you have some standards and that’s something that we work to build here in this process and our guys take pride and value in that.”
And while Daronte rises in the football coaching ranks, he’s still a boy from Prince George’s County, Maryland.
“I know growing up, everybody was like DC, DC, DC, but now it’s like PG County,” Coleman said. “We’ve got players, we’ve got ballers, we’ve got good thinkers and I think it’s just you’re proud to represent where you’re from.”
As for what Commanders fans should expects going forward, Coleman said Daronte is “a guy that’s going to be on a mission to be great. To not lose.”
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Many have advocated, pushed for it and now it’s coming to fruition: Two of New York’s top high school football teams will be squaring off this upcoming 2026 season.
The Brothers finished 2025 as one of the state’s best teams after winning the 2025 NYSPHSAA Class AA championship in a 41-12 rout of Saratoga Springs. The Gaels had a similar finish to their respective campaign as they won the 2025 NYCHSFL AA state title in a 42-21 romp of St. Francis.
Iona Preparatory School, located in New Rochelle, NY, is a premier all-boys Catholic institution that offers a rigorous college-preparatory education rooted in the Christian Brothers tradition. Known for its strong academic programs, character development, and commitment to service, Iona Prep fosters leadership and integrity in its students. With a proud Gaels athletic tradition and a vibrant community, IPS prepares young men for lifelong success in college and beyond.
How to Follow New York High School Football
For New York high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Empire State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the country.
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![STOCK | Footballs are displayed at Bolles School football practice on July 29, 2025, in Jacksonville, Florida. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]](https://media.zenfs.com/en/on3_recruiting_articles_521/047e2b54c9c3d2693eabe85e70ae8bda)
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