Central Florida Coaches Embrace New FHSAA Football Landscape at Media Days

From the new Open Division to the Independent League and statewide reclassification, coaches discussed how Florida's sweeping football changes will shape the 2026 season.

Hagerty High's football team with head coach Steve Mikles, front far right, is ready to take the next step in 2026 with a deep playoff run in a new classification and district. | Jeff Gardenour

HEATHROW, Florida – Florida high school football enters a new era this fall, and Central Florida coaches spent Thursday preparing for it.

During Central Florida High School Football Media Days at Seminole State College's Heathrow campus, coaches and players discussed the FHSAA's sweeping postseason and classification changes, including the new Open Division, Independent League and statewide realignment.

Open Division Creates New Championship Path

The Open Division is a new postseason format that will include the top eight ranked teams in the state, regardless of classification. Schools will be grouped into two pools of four teams each, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to a single-elimination tournament to determine the champion.

Mainland coach Jerrime “Squatty” Bell is already circling the Open Division on his calendar after watching his Volusia County team go 9-3 and advance to the Class 5A regional finals last year.

Mainland football coach Jerrime Bell, front center, is excited about his team's prospects of qualifying for the FHSAA's new Open Division this year. The top eight ranked teams in Florida, regardless of classification, qualify for the Open Division tournament. | Jeff Gardenour

“I feel really good about the season,” Bell said. “We have a lot of returning guys. I think we should do well in the playoffs. With our schedule, even if we lose one, we might end up in the top eight. It’s going to be brutal.

“If we don’t end up there, we’d make a deep playoff run (in our classification),” Bell said. “If we do end up in there (Open Division), we’d make a deep playoff run.”

Mount Dora Prepares for New Independent League

In Lake County, Mount Dora Christian coach Kolby Tackett has his Bulldogs preparing for the new Independent League. The FHSAA announced earlier this month that the inaugural league will have two pools broken into North and South Regions. Pool A includes schools with enrollments of 900 and above, while Pool B consists of schools with enrollment of 859 and below.

There are 34 total teams in Pool A, and 36 in Pool B. The top eight teams in each region in each pool advance to the playoffs. Region champs then advance to state title games in December.

Rankings will determine the playoff participants. But schools will be able to independently schedule their own games during the regular season.

“I was a big proponent of it back in March,” said Tackett, whose team last year went 12-2, losing to Jupiter Christian in the Sunshine State Athletic Association Class 5A 11-man final. “I met with a lot of coaches, talked about a lot of things. It’s really going to expand. Obviously, they’re going to put some parameters on it. But we’re excited with the direction of it.”

Mount Dora Christian's football team with coach Kolby Tackett, middle far right, will compete in the FHSAA's new Independent League this season. | Jeff Gardenour

MDC will compete in Pool B North Region of this year’s Independent League.

Realignment Brings New Challenges for Hagerty

Not every change involved postseason formats.

In Seminole County, Hagerty High in Oviedo is welcoming a new district after battling in one of the toughest districts in Central Florida last year: Class 7A, District 3, which included state champion Lake Mary, longtime power Seminole and up-and-coming Lake Brantley.

With FHSAA football reorganizing into six classifications (Class 1A and the Rural Division are now combined), the Huskies will compete in Class 6A, District 4 with Boone, Timber Creek and Winter Park.

Hagerty coach Steve Mikles sees the new classification and district as an exciting challenge.

“We’ve been in the playoffs four of six years (that I’ve been here),” Mikles said. “I think that there’s an expectation in our program now that that’s where we’re going to be.

“Now, we have to figure out a way to win a playoff game,” Mikles said. “Put our kids in some more difficult situations to find a way to get over that hump.”

Central Florida High School Football Media Days continues on July 25 with schools from Orange and Osceola counties. The event will be held at 407 Sports in Ocoee.

---

Jeff Gardenour can be reached via email at jgardenour1962@gmail.com or X @JMarkG1962