5 potential candidates to replace Billy Miller as IMG Academy national head football coach

Ascenders' job posting for a new national head football coach ends today and we furnish five potential candidates
IMG Academy at Ben Davis Indiana football 9-8-23
IMG Academy at Ben Davis Indiana football 9-8-23 / Tyler Hart

With Billy Miller now officially out and very likely to coach under Bill Belichick at the University of North Carolina, the IMG Academy national football team is on the search for a new lead man.

Luckily for the Ascenders, they'll have no shortage of aspiring or current head coaches that will put their name in for the job. Because we have no clue who exactly has applied for the gig of taking over one of the country's top football powerhouses, we have created our own list of potential candidates.

Maybe all of them have interest or possibly none whatsoever. Nonetheless, each candidate we list features the accolades that might be a fit for taking over the prestigous high school football program over in Bradenton.

Here is a look at five potential candidates that could take over as the next head coach at IMG Academy.

1. Biff Poggi, former Charlotte & St. Frances Academy head coach

Charlotte 49ers head coach Biff Poggi
Oct 19, 2024; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Charlotte 49ers head coach Biff Poggi looks on during the second half against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images / Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Yes, we're going for the jugular at the top of the list. Poggi was dismissed as Charlotte's head football coach during the 2024 college football season, but make no mistake about his ability to lead an elite high school football program. Poggi was best known for his time of building St. Frances Academy (Maryland) into one of the top programs in the country before making way to the collegiate game. If there's a guy on this list that's already familiar in how to build a big-time high school level program, it's Poggi.

2. John Peacock, Venice

Venice High School head football coach John Peacock
Venice High School head football coach John Peacock. Venice celebrated a huge win 55-26 over the West Orange Warriors, winning the Class 7A-Region 2 Final, at Powell-Davis Stadium in Venice, FL, on Friday night Nov. 29, 2024. / Thomas Bender / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why not find the next lead man right down Interstate 75? John Peacock has been the mastermind behind putting together one of the top high school football programs right off of the Tamiami Trail in Venice. Coming off the 2024 Class 7A state championship victory over Lake Mary, Peacock has put together an Indians' team that's already in the national spotlight. Peacock has compiled an overall record of 186-42 with three state championships under his belt. With Peacock being a heavy advocate of coaches getting paid better within the state of Florida, IMG Academy would certainly be paying their next head coach a nice competitive salary. This one might be harder to see, though, with Venice revamping its entire football complex and adding a brand-new artificial turf field.

3. Jacquez Green, Manatee

Manatee High School's football team head coach Jacquez Green
Manatee High School's football team head coach Jacquez Green. St. Thomas Aquinas defeated the Manatee Hurricanes 16-13 on Friday night, in Bradenton to advance to state championship. / Thomas Bender / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Another head coaching candidate that's literally right down the road from IMG Academy is Manatee's Jacquez Green. Listen, the former University of Florida great has done a tremendous job with the Hurricanes, going 27-16 since taking over ahead of the 2021 season. Green started off going 2-7 in 2021, but ever since then has steadily built the program up back to prominence. This past 2024 season was Green's best at Manatee, with the Hurricanes finishing 10-2 and reaching the Class 5A state semifinals. If you're looking for a program builder, Green is right there with the best of 'em.

4. Steven Moffett, The First Academy

Steven Moffett
Oct 9, 2004; Orlando, FL, USA; University of Central Florida Golden Knights quarterback #9 Steven Moffett rolls out first half action against the Northern Illinois Huskies at the Citrus Bowl. The Northern Illinois Huskies defeated the University of Central Florida Golden Knights 30-28. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Paul Chapman-Imagn Images (©) Copyright 2004 by Paul Chapman / Paul Chapman-Imagn Images

This would be a longshot, but certainly interesting in many ways. In Steven Moffett's lone season as the head man at Leesburg, the former UCF quarterback compiled an overall record of 10-2 in leading the Yellow Jackets. Moffett serves as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at The First Academy, but certainly knows how to win at a high level. Before the program at TFA was levied with forfeits/sanctions, the Royals notched impressive wins over teams like Lipscomb Academy (Tennessee), Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Georgia) and Sanford Seminole. Now with Moffett showing what he can do in leading an offense against some of the Southeast's top teams, how about at one of the country's elite programs?

5. Ryan Schneider, Cocoa

Cocoa football head coach Ryan Schneider
Cocoa football head coach Ryan Schneider directs his players during the game against Titusville Friday, August 23, 2024. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK / Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK

We go from one former UCF quarterback to another and ending this list of candidates is another head coach who just led his program to another state title win back in December. Schneider has proven himself as one of the best head coaches not only in Florida, but the Southeast United States. Leading the Tigers to three straight state championships is an impressive feat and how he's done going up against elite competition has him right in the mix. Since taking over for John Wilkinson (now at New Smyrna Beach), Schneider has gone 75-18, with three state crowns. With Brady Hart, Jayvan Boggs and Javion Hilson all graduating and the Tigers somewhat in a transition, would Schneider leave for the South Suncoast?


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Andy Villamarzo
ANDY VILLAMARZO

Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.