Florida’s football legacy grows as former NFL stars coach high school teams

Former NFL stars coach Florida high school teams

Florida is certainly a breeding ground for football stars, with names like Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, Ray Lewis, and Lamar Jackson all hailing from the Sunshine State.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida is certainly a breeding ground for football stars, with names like Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, Ray Lewis and Lamar Jackson all hailing from the Sunshine State. 

The Florida football factory doesn’t pump out players by coincidence. Players learn from those who come before them…both indirectly and directly.

Local perspective:

Titusville native and former NFL Pro Bowler Latavius Murray jumped at the opportunity to return to his hometown as a high school football coach.

"I just said whoever ends up being the head coach, just let them know I’m interested," recalls Murray. "That’s when coach [Matt] Diesel reached out."

Murray is the Terriers’ Running Backs Coach, and his coaching style is…active.

"Sometimes I put my cleats on and come out and play with them," says Murray.

"He’s real big and he'd be still like trying to shake people and do all kinds of stuff," explains running back Camari Jackson. "He's still got it."

Murray’s presence on the sideline is invaluable, serving as a real-life example of someone who turned his dream into reality.

"I knew I was going to be able to exceed, and become a better person than I was before he came here because of Coach Murray," says Jackson.

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And Murray isn’t the only former NFL star now coaching Florida high school ball. Murray’s former teammate and football legend Charles Woodson coaches defensive backs at Lake Nona high school, which is an opportunity he accepted to coach his son, Charles Woodson Jr.

"I've been having a great deal of fun with it," says Woodson. "But I haven't thought beyond the next few years in terms of coaching my kids."

"It's cool," explains Woodson Jr. "He's harder on me than other coaches, obviously, because he's my dad. But I like having him here."

Woodson Jr. is a defensive back, just like his dad. He’s also of the age where he’s going on college visits…and among the schools he’s considering: the University of Michigan, where his dad won the Heisman Trophy in 1997.

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"There's no bias," Woodson insists. "I may be leaning a certain way, but you know, the kid has a mind of his own. I'd be a happy and proud father. But no matter where he goes, you know, it's all the same. I think every parent would say the same thing. You want him to be successful. They'll replace your position."

With another football-playing son, only a freshman, Charles Woodson, will be sticking around Lake Nona for a little while longer. As for Latavius Murray, he’s just having fun right now.

"Really, I'm just trying to give back my experience to the kids right now and see where it takes me. Just really trying to have fun with it right now, too."