Jefferson County stays in-house for new coach

By Will Brown • Democrat Staff Writer • February 25, 2010     

Tiger Head Football Coach Jeremy Brown

 Change has once again befallen the Jefferson County football program. However, for the first time in years, that change has come from within to ensure continuity in a football program that rose to claim a district championship in 2009.

Head football coach Willie Spears resigned his position at Jefferson County Feb. 19 to take the same position at Live Oak Suwannee. Wednesday, in front of the entire football team former offensive coordinator Jeremy Brown was elevated to replace Spears. “It’s the most difficult professional decision I have had to make by far,” Spears said. “We’ve moved a lot. It was very, very difficult up until the last moment because it affected so many people.”

The Tigers were 6-6 last season after going 1-9 in 2008. Spears, the 2009 All-Big Bend coach of the year, spent one season coaching at the rural 1B school leading the Tigers to an appearance in the regional finals.

Brown was an assistant on a Venice team that went undefeated and ran through Palm Beach Dwyer 77-14 for a state championship in 2000. He was also an assistant at Sarasota Booker for two seasons, before moving to Monticello to coach with Spears in 2009.

“You never know what God’s plan is,” Brown said. “You think you have it figured out. You tell yourself ‘You want to be a head coach in the next couple years,’ Then, I get a call that Coach Spears has resigned.”

Photograph from  Tallahassee Democrat

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