High School

Coaches announced for 2026 Navy All-American Bowl

High school football coaches were selected from nine different states for the prestigious event

Kevin L. Smith

American Heritage head coach Mike Smith holds the FHSAA Class 4A state championship trophy on Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami after the Patriots won 33-28. Smith has been selected as the head coach of the East Team at the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl on Jan. 10.
American Heritage head coach Mike Smith holds the FHSAA Class 4A state championship trophy on Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami after the Patriots won 33-28. Smith has been selected as the head coach of the East Team at the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl on Jan. 10. / CRYSTAL VANDER WEIT/TCPALM / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coaches for the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl were officially announced on Friday.

The annual bowl game, a prestigious event that showcases 100 high school football all-stars throughout the country, will take place on Saturday, Jan. 10 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas and be televised on NBC/Peacock.

Cdr. Tyree Barnes and Lt. Cameron Kinley will be the honorary coaches for the West and East squads, respectively.

“These individuals have been selected for their outstanding service, leadership and dedication,” according to a release.

Rosters for the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl can be found here. The coaches selected for the game are as follows:

East

Head coach: Mike Smith, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

Coaching Staff

Darryl Brown, Grimsley High School (Greensboro, N.C.)

Gene Delle Donne, Salesianum School (Wilmington, Del.)

Ben Hammer, Lely High School (Naples, Fla.)

Adam Hastings, Indian Land High School (Lancaster, S.C.)

Jeff Moore, Tabor Academy (Marion, Mass.)

Daryl Porter, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

Montrey Wright, Deptford High School (Deptford, N.J.)

Christopher Nendrick (Naperville, Ill.) (Nendrick will serve as a kicking and punting assistant for both teams)

West

Head coach: Claude Mathis, DeSoto High School (DeSoto, Texas)

Coaching staff

Robert Bowen, DeSoto High School (DeSoto, Texas)

Brian Cooney, Oswego High School (Oswego, Ill.)

Chris Goffer, Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.)

Jason Jewell, Brophy College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Eddie Salas, Harlan High School (San Antonio, Texas)

Kerry Sweeny, DeSoto High School (DeSoto, Texas)

Chad Zenner, Harper High School (Harper, Texas)

Christopher Nendrick (Naperville, Ill.)

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Kevin L. Smith
KEVIN L. SMITH

Kevin L. Smith, a Rochester (NY) native and a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, has been covering high school sports for over a decade. He started out as a freelance sportswriter in 2013. Since then, he’s held sportswriter and editor positions for newspapers in Coudersport (PA), Sayre (PA) and Oswego (NY). Smith currently covers high school sports in the Greater Syracuse Area for syracuse.com | Post-Standard, a position he’s held since 2021. You can follow him on social media @KevLSmittie. Story ideas can be sent to KLSFreelancing@outlook.com.

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