The 2026 high school football season in Maryland is marked by an unprecedented flurry of coaching movements, with 36 programs announcing new head coaches or interim replacements.
Traditional powerhouses such as DeMatha, Archbishop Spalding and River Hill, which captured top rankings in the previous year, are among the schools undergoing significant leadership changes.
Legacy and New Beginnings
Bill McGregor, who spent 35 seasons at DeMatha and amassed a 334‑53‑3 record that included an 11‑0 campaign and a No. 2 statewide ranking, has stepped aside to make way for Bryce Bevill, who now inherits the program.
Kyle Schmitt, who guided Archbishop Spalding to four straight MIAA A Conference titles from 2020 through 2025, is moving to the University of Maryland, leaving the program in the hands of R.B. Green.
Andy Stefanelli’s nine‑year stint at Good Counsel produced seven wins per season and two Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships, a run that concluded with Sal Gorgone’s recent appointment as head coach.
Brian Van Deusen retired after 26 years and 227 victories at River Hill, a tenure that lifted the team to state prominence and four championship titles; Breaon Klein‑Hebron has been named his successor.
A distinctive father‑son dynamic emerged at Springbrook, where Sean A. Pierce took over, and at John F. Kennedy, where Sean W. Pierce assumed the head‑coach role, both beginning in 2026.
Jake Coleman stepped down from Stephen Decatur to follow his son, who is playing at Vanderbilt, and Russell Croteau has been installed to lead the program.
Dameon Powell assumed control of Riverdale Baptist after a stint that saw him coach Flowers to a state‑power status, despite the team’s forfeited 2023 season.
Chad Wilson left Watkins Mill after five years to join the Frederick County Board of Education, and Angel Garcia will now steer the program in 2026.
Ripple Effects Across the State
The turnover reflects Maryland’s highly competitive football environment, where programs frequently seek fresh strategies and leadership to chase state titles.
With new faces come new expectations, and the upcoming season will test whether these transitions can preserve tradition while injecting new energy into the field.