Lots of movement on America’s all-time coaching wins list after the 2019 season with lots of milestones ahead in 2020.
At the top, J.T. Curtis of John Curtis in Louisiana is likely to become just the second high school football coach to enter the 600-Win Club. Curtis needs just eight victories reach the mark. He’ll probably end the year within two years of catching the legendary John McKissick, who passed away before the holidays.
Right below Curtis at No. 3 is Hampton High School’s (Virginia) Mike Smith, who is just four victories away from reaching the 500-Win Club in 2020.
Moving-up from No. 5 in 2019 to No. 4 heading into 2020, St. Mary’s Springs’ (Wisconsin) head coach Robert Hyland, who is proving that age doesn’t matter. Hyland directed SMS to its ninth overall title and third straight in 2019.
Other coaches on the list winning state titles in 2020 — Philip Haywood of Belfry (Kentucky), Jim Roth of Southern Columbia (Pennsylvania), Gary Rankin of Alcoa (Tennessee), Jim Hightower of St. Thomas More (Louisiana) and Tom Knotts of Dutch Fork (South Carolina).
Knotts’s fourth straight South Carolina state championship title came as he matched wits with Dorman’s Dave Gutshall, who joined the 400-Win Club earlier in the year in 2019. The 400-Win Club grew by two other 11-man coaches last year — Randy Allen (403 wins) Highland Park in Texas and Jim France (401 wins) of Manchester in Ohio.
Editor’s Note: We use several different media sources to create this list. If you feel you have more information that we can consider for our list, please email [email protected]
All-Time High School Football Coaching Wins
No. 1 John McKissick (South Carolina) 621-156-13
No. 2 *J.T. Curtis – John Curtis HS (Louisiana) 592-66-6
No. 3 *Mike Smith – Hampton HS (Virginia) 496-96-2
No. 4 *Robert Hyland – St. Mary’s Springs (Wisconsin) 478-103-2
No. 5 Larry Campbell (Georgia) 477-85-3
No. 6 *Phil Danaher – Calallen (Texas) 470-113-4
No. 7 Charles “Corky” Rogers (Florida) 466-84-1
No. 8 George Curry (Pennsylvania) 455-99-5
No. 9 *Philip Haywood – Belfry HS (Kentucky) 449-137
No. 10 (tie) *Bill Castle – Lakeland HS (Florida) 444-90
No. 10 (tie) Jack Henzes (Pennsylvania) 444-168-8
No. 12 (tie) *Jim Roth – Southern Columbia HS (Pennsylvania) 443-63-2
No. 12 (tie) John Herrington (Michigan) 443-112-1
No. 14 *Gary Rankin – Alcoa HS (Tennessee) 439-76
No. 15 (tie) *C.J. Hamilton – Silver Lake (Kansas) 433-92
No. 15 (tie) *Jerry Sinz – Edgar HS (Wisconsin) 433-85
No. 17 Dick Tighe (Iowa) 432-167-8
No. 18 Al Francassa (Michigan) 431-117-7
No. 19 (tie) *Jim Hightower – St. Thomas More (Louisiana) 429-128-1
No. 19 (tie) *Jerry Pezzetti – Ankeny Centennial HS (Iowa) 429-160-1
No. 21 G.A. Moore (Texas) 426-92-9
No. 22 *Larry “Bud” Wright – Sheridan HS (Indiana) 424-199-2
No. 23 Curt Bladt – Harlan HS (Iowa) 418-63
No. 24 (tie) *David Gentry – Murphy HS (North Carolina) 416-196
No. 24 (tie) *Tom Knotts – Dutch Fork HS (South Carolina) 416-64
No. 26 Jack Holley (North Carolina) 412-96-9
No. 27 *Dave Gutshall – Dorman HS (South Carolina) 410-138
No. 28 Jim Render (Pennsylvania) 406-141-6
No. 29 (tie) *Bill Hurst – Centreville Academy (Mississippi) 405-126
No. 29 (tie) Pete Adkins (Missouri) 405-60-4
No. 29 (tie) Bob Milloy (Maryland) 405-124-1
No. 32 (tie) *Randy Allen – Highland Park HS (Texas) 403-89-6
No. 32 (tie) Robert Paroli (North Carolina) 403-206-13
No. 34 (tie) *Mike Mahlen – Verndale HS (Minnesota) 401-124-3
No. 34 (tie) *Jim France – Akron Manchester HS (Ohio) 401-129-4
No. 36 Bob Ladouceur (California) 399-25-3
No. 37 (tie) Gordon Wood (Texas) 394-93-15
No. 37 (tie) Sid Otton (Washington) 394-131
No. 39 (tie) *Dudley Hilton – Bell County HS (Kentucky) 393-123
No. 39 (tie) *Ricky Black – Jackson Prep (Mississippi) 393-78
No. 41 Ron Stolski – Brainerd HS (Minnesota) 389-183-5
No. 42 (tie) *Ken Leonard – Sacred Heart-Griffin HS (Illinois) 387-79
No. 42 (tie) *Reno Saccoccia – Steubenville HS (Ohio) 387-74
No. 44 Willie Varner (South Carolina) 383-132-10
No. 45 Ron Holtman (Missouri) 381-103-4
No. 46 Frank Lenti (Illinois) 374-77
*Will be a head coach in 2020
