Florida High School Football Team Fires Head Coach After Three Scoreless Losses

Dan Nieboer is no longer the head football coach at Lely after three one-sided losses.

Dan Nieboer was fired after just three games leading Lely High School in Florida. The school has not scored a point this season. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A Florida high school football team reeling following three consecutive shutout losses has parted ways with its first-year head coach.

According to Alex Martin of USA Today, Lely High School in Naples, Florida, has fired Dan Nieboer after hiring him in the offseason. The Trojans are currently 0-3 and have been outscored by their three opponents, 166-0.

Nieboer took over the program after serving under former NFL standout Jason Wittne at Liberty Christian High School in Arglye, Texas. Witten joined the Oklahoma Sooners' coaching staff over the offseason, and Nieboer moved to Florida.

Florida High School Fires New Head Coach After Just Three Games

“After careful consideration, a decision has been made to pursue a change in direction for the head football coach position,” Lely High School principal Jennifer Bledsoe said in a statement. “As a result, Coach Dan Nieboer is no longer serving as head coach of the Trojans football program.

“Our building administration, including our school’s Activities Coordinator, worked closely with Coach Nieboer to establish a plan focused on player development and the overall operation of the program. Ultimately, we determined that a leadership change was necessary to best support the future success of our students and program as a whole.”

Lely Went 8-4 In 2025, But Lost Several Key Players To Other Schools Via Transferring

Before the season even kicked off, Nieboer was hit with several key losses. Quarterbacks Carter Quinn and Brady Quinn both transferred, as did running back Nino Joseph. The Trojans had gone 8-4 last season, scoring 45 points per contest.

However, they did not retain the services of Ben Hammer after three seasons, as Hammer won 20 games and reached the postseason twice.

The school is determined to find a new football coach who will “prioritize player development, student-athlete growth and a positive team culture as core values of the program.” They are planning a nationwide search to find that person.

Carlos Cornelio, an assistant on the staff under Nieboer, and head varsity baseball coach Kit Flower will serve as interim co-head coaches for the remainder of the season at Lely.

Trojans Have Seven Games Remaining On The Schedule

Lely is set to head to Barron Collier on Friday, September 18, following a bye week. They lost to Naples last Friday, 63-0, with defeats at the hands of Immokalee (37-0) and Gulf Coast (66-0) before that.

After the road trip to Barron Collier, the Trojans will host Bishop Verot followed by games with Aubrey Rogers, Cypress Lake, Monsignor Pace, Island Coast and South Fort Myers to conclude the regular season.