Edewater football coach likes to bring family to Orlando

At a time when high school coaches in Florida and other states flock to higher paid jobs in Florida, Edwater High managed to reverse the trend.

The Eagles Athletic Department found a head coach in Patrick Browning, who wants to move his family from Alabama to Orlando.

“I feel great about the attitude. He is what we were looking for in our head coach, and I think he will fit our school, our philosophy of the sports department and with our children, ”said Josh Vandergrift, sports director of editor. “We are lucky enough to get a really good football coach and a really good teacher. He is a leader of men and I think the success he had in his previous stop shows that. We are very blessed. “

The 38-year-old Browning together with his wife Jenny and three children Delilah 2, Joseph 6 and Lucy 8 are currently on a house hunting mission after Browning accepted the EdgeGewater job on Tuesday.

“We have some good friends in this area who help us to settle down,” said Browning. “It is still a process that has found everything out, but we are only happy to be down here. We always wanted to live in Orlando, so it's an exciting time for me and my family. “

He has big shoes to replace Cameron Duke, who left Edewater for a similar position at Marietta (Ga.) High. Duke was 85-14 in eight seasons.

The challenge for the browning directly from the jump is to keep the EDGewater players in place. The operational word in today's football in Florida High School is “transfer”. In the case of coaching changes, it often manages question signs among the players. Browning will try to facilitate the transition for the Eagles.

“This must be at the top of the head of every head coach everywhere in the United States,” said Browning. “Parents will bring their children into the best situation that will give them the best chance of being successful.

“I am always proud of it, and our trainers have always taken over the motto that we will offer the players the best possible high school experience. This is by developing them and pushing them to their maximum. Both on the field and outside the field. “

Top aspiring seniors to keep an eye at Edwater are quarterback Carter Emanuel, who changed from the Non -A lake last season. The defensive back Nick Collins Jr., a transfer last season by Lake Highland Prep; Linebacker Damian Moore Jr., Zay Denmark and JJ Edwards, defensive ending Aiden Anderson and offensive -Lineman Ben Bankowitz.

“I was always very lucky to keep children in our own garden,” said Browning. “Children want to be part of our program because we have the feeling of giving them something with our program that they may get somewhere else.

“But you will definitely get it with us.”

The Browning employees sent many players to big colleges. His most successful former player is the current NFL Draft Prospect Quinshon Judkins, a return that played for the National Champion Ohio State. Judkins led the Browning Pike Road squad to the title of Alabama Class 5a State in 2021.

Browning was appointed head coach of Pike Ridge when the school founded its football team in 2016, and brought them to the state championship in her fourth university season. He was 42-7 during this time. Browning College has been assistant to Prairie View A&M and Alabama State in the past two years.

Some key coaches who stayed in Edwater are offensive -line -line trainers EJ Dunston, an Edwater -Auun who played on the UCF, and defensive coordinator Tommy Whitted, who played in winter park and was in Michigan before he injured him. Browning has not yet structured his full staff.

“Since Edwater already has such a great basis, it fits my identity to include things and improve and keep the continuity with things that they have made very successful in the past with trainer Duke and the employees,” said Browning.

“I will bend strongly on them [remaining] Trainer to learn the daily processes of what you have done and try to present as much as possible and optimize things while trying to make ourselves even more efficient, ”said Browning.

Experienced football coaches in central florida remain nearby instead of hunting higher jobs from the state

You can find Chris Hays on X.com @OS_CHRISHAYS.