Florida High School Football Team Turns Program Over To State Champion

A Florida high school football team has given keys to the program over to a former state champion player at the school.

Adron Robinson, a veteran assistant, has been named the new head football coach at Niceville High School.

“No one has deeper roots with Niceville Eagle football than Coach Adron Robinson and he was the unanimous selection of our hiring committee,” Niceville High School principal Charlie Marello said (thanks to midbaynews.com for the quotes).

Adron Robinson Won 1988 State Football Title At Niceville

Along with being an assistant on the Niceville high school football coaching staff, Robinson serverd as the girls flag football head coach. He was part of the 1988 Class 4A state championship football team at Niceville that finished ranked second in the state and in the Top 20 in the nation.

“Congrats to Coach Robinson for his selection as head coach at a program he helped build,” said Niceville Quarterback Club President Heath Rominger, who was a teammate of Robinson in 1988. “THis is a well-deserved opportunity.”

Eagles Finished With Six Victories In 2025 Under Richard Morgan

Robinson replaces Richard Morgan, who coached the Eagles for just one season. During that, Niceville went 6-5, winning four of five down the stretch. In the Florida High School Athletic Association State Football Playoffs, they pushed Ponte Verde, falling in overtime, 31-30.

After joining the Army following his graduation from Niceville, Robinson returned home and became an assistant football coach with the school. Since 2010, the Eagles have gone 146-47, reaching the playoffs each season with Robinson on the staff.

Niceville has played in four state football semifinal games during that span.

Starting Quarterback Deagan McCoy, Top Rusher Jakobe Gilyard Set To Return

Robinson will have returning quarterback Deagan McCoy back, as he threw for 2,071 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing 57 percent of his passes as a sophomore. Jakobe Gilyard ran for 1,211 yards and scored 14 touchdowns during his freshman campaign, averaging 5.4 yards per carry while recording six 100-yard games.

Leading receiver Robert Oliver will graduate, but Gilyard had 350 yards receiving while several others who recorded at least one reception will look to pick up the loss of production.

On defense, Noah Renes had 64 tackles with 18 for loss as a junior while Clay Nelson, Dominic Ealy and Andy Bocchino each had over 50 tackles. Renes recorded five sacks and Ealy had 3.5.

Niceville was established in 1964 and had an enrollment of nearly 2,000 during the 2023-24 school year. It is a zoned high school for dependent children living on Eglin Air Force Base. Several former NFL players were Eagle players including Lewis Billups, Khalil Jacobs, Kevin Knox and Ricky Thomas.