The three finalists for this year’s National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) National Football Coach of the Year Award are a special trio. The NHSCA award, which has been presented since 1999, is presented proudly in cooperation with High School Football America.
All three of this year’s finalists led their schools to Top 10 finishes in the High School Football America national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.
Below are the finalists in alphabetical order.
Kevin Creasy – Oakland High School (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
Coach Creasy led Oakland to its second straight Tennessee Class 6A championship in 2021. The Patriots finish this year ranked No. 10 in the HSFA 100.
This year’s state title is the six overall for Creasy, who has led Oakland to three and Trousdale County to three. His teams have only lost 19 games in 14-years.
Todd Dodge – Westlake High School (Austin, Texas)
Coach Dodge closed-out an incredible coaching career Saturday night by leading Westlake to its third straight Texas high school football championship. It’s the seventh (four at Southlake Carroll) overall state title for Dodge, who won 233 games in 23 years as a high school football coach.
Westlake ended 2021 ranked No. 2 in the High School Football America national rankings. It’s the second straight year that the Chaps finished No. 2 in our national rankings created with our proprietary algorithm.
Jason Negro – St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, California)
In 2010, Coach Negro, an alum of St. John Bosco, took over a program that had only won six league games over a four year period. Since 2013, SJB has been a regular in our national rankings.
In 2019, Bosco was crowned our national champ. This past season, the Braves finished No. 8 in our Top 100.
Related: Final High School Football America 100 national rankings
Past NHSCA National Football Coach of the Year Winners
2020-2021 – Patrick Surtain, Sr. – American Heritage School, Plantation, Florida
2019-2020 – Tom Knotts – Dutch Fork HS, South Carolina
2018-2019 – Gabe Infante – St. Joseph’s Prep, Pennsylvania
2017-2018 – Bob Beatty – Trinity HS, Kentucky
2016-2017 – Bruce Rollinson – Mater Dei HS, California
2015-2016 – Gary Joseph – Katy HS, Texas
2014-2015 – Roland Smith – Miami Central HS, Florida
2013-2014 – Tom Westerberg – Allen HS, Texas
2012-2013 – J.T. Curtis – John Curtis HS, Louisiana
2011-2012 – Chuck Lenahan – Plymouth HS, New Hampshire
2010-2011 – George Smith – St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Florida
2009-2010 – Jeremy Williams – Greenville HS, Georgia
2008-2009 – John McKissick – Summerville HS, South Carolina
2007-2008 – James Drewry – Booneville HS, Mississippi
2006-2007 – Gary Rankin – Alcoa HS, Tennessee
2005-2006 – Randy Allen – Highland Park HS, Texas
2004-2005 – Charles “Corky” Rogers – The Bolles School, Florida
2003-2004 – Bob Ladouceur – De La Salle HS, California
2002-2003 – Chris Jones – Heritage HS, Virginia
2001-2002 – Alan Trimble – Jenks HS, Oklahoma
2000-2001 – Bob Ladouceur – De La Salle HS, California
1999-2000 – Mike Pettine, Sr. – Central Bucks West, Pennsylvania
