Two of Northeast Florida's longest-serving football coaches are on the move, less than one month from the beginning of preseason practice for the 2021 high school season.
Fort White head coach Demetric Jackson is taking the position at Columbia, among the longest-established, most consistently successful and most fervently supported football programs in Northeast Florida, following the resignation of Tigers coach Brian Allen.
The news was first reported by the Lake City Reporter.
Jackson, who played high school football at Columbia on the way to winning a national championship in 1996 as a defensive back with the University of Florida, the hire represents a return home.
"To come back to your alma mater and be able to coach in that stadium, it's something I take great pride in, to carry on the great tradition at Columbia High School," he said.
The hiring represents a jump from Class 1A to Class 6A for Jackson, who grew up in Fort White before the town's high school opened in 2000-01.
Jackson had coached at Fort White since 2007. He finished with a record of 90-61 over 14 seasons, including a trio of nine-win campaigns in 2008, 2015 and 2016.
"I'm excited and ready for the challenge... carrying on the tradition of all the great coaches that Columbia High School has had, and building on the foundation that they have laid," Jackson said.
Columbia appears laden with talent once again for 2021, including a pair of players drawing major college attention in linebacker Jaden Robinson and defensive back Amare Ferrell.
Jackson said that he intends to spend the coming days meeting with supporters of the Columbia program and continuing the task of finalizing the Tigers' coaching staff for the new season.
"On July 12, I want us to be able to hit the ground running as far as summer workouts and installing our game plan," Jackson said.
He takes over for Allen, a former Columbia linebacker who went on to win an NCAA championship at Florida State and later played in Super Bowl XXXVIII for the Carolina Panthers. Allen had led the Tigers into the Florida High School Athletic Association playoffs in each of his 10 seasons as head coach.
He compiled a 86-33 record in Lake City, including a 12-2 record and a state semifinal trip in 2015.
In 2020, Allen initially said he planned to remain away from the head coaching role because of concerns of family exposure to the coronavirus, but he soon returned to lead the Tigers' turnaround from an 0-5 start to a berth in the Region 1-6A final. That was the only season in his Columbia career with fewer than seven victories.
During Allen's tenure, two Columbia players — offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil, now with the Houston Texans, and safety Trey Marshall, now with the Denver Broncos — progressed to the NFL.
Tunsil expressed his appreciation for Allen on Twitter.
Among active coaches in Northeast Florida, only Allen and University Christian's David Penland III have achieved the feat of qualifying for the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons to begin their careers.
Brian Allen's year-by-year coaching record
2011 8-4*
2012 11-2*
2013 10-2*
2014 8-3*
2015 12-2*
2016 7-4*
2017 7-4*
2018 10-2*
2019 8-4*
2020 5-6*
Demetric Jackson's year-by-year coaching record
2007 5-7*
2008 9-2*
2009 5-5
2010 7-4*
2011 8-4*
2012 6-5*
2013 7-2*
2014 5-5*
2015 9-3*
2016 9-3*
2017 7-4*
2018 8-3*
2019 3-7
2020 2-7*
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