With the Indiana high school football season drawing to a close, it’s important to spotlight teams that made quick turnarounds with new head coaches.
Certainly, many are doing a great job. For example, new Westfield head coach Josh Miracle has the Shamrocks knocking on the door of Lucas Oil Stadium. Some coaches, though, took over challenging situations and turned their teams into instant winners or dramatically revitalized their programs. Here are 11 coaches who made a significant impact in their first seasons:
Anthony Lindsey – Bloomington North
Lindsey performed admirably in his first year at the helm after taking over for longtime Cougars head coach Scott Bless. After opening with a narrow, three-point loss to Mooresville, the Cougars won nine of their next 10 games, with their only loss being a double-overtime heartbreaker against Columbus North on Oct. 11.
Tony Bell – Brown County
Bell transformed a Brown County team that had won just one game in the past two seasons into a 6-5 squad, achieving a quick and impressive turnaround.
Alex Stewart – East Noble
With Luke Amstutz stepping into the athletic director role, first-year head coach Alex Stewart led the Knights to a 12-1 record and a semi-state showdown on Friday night against Mishawaka.
Travon Curry – Elkhart
Curry elevated the Lions from a 3-7 record in 2023 to an 8-2 record in 2024. They narrowly lost their regular-season opener to Concord by a single point and fell in the opening sectional round to Snider by just a touchdown.
Jack Barron – Frontier
Barron guided the Falcons from a .500 record in 2023 to an undefeated regular season before losing to Carroll-Flora in the sectional round. Barron has undoubtedly set the Falcons on an upward trajectory for 2025.
Sam Otley – Roncalli
Roncalli narrowly lost to Bishop Chatard in a sectional championship, but the turnaround from 2023’s 4-7 squad to a 6-5 finish is undeniable. After the Chatard game, Otley expressed his love for Roncalli and hinted at long-term plans with the program. He is undoubtedly the right man for the job.
Cody Vincent – Jimtown
The former Arkansas Razorbacks staffer took the Jimmies from 4-6 to 7-4 in his first season on the sidelines. Vincent has stated that being an Indiana high school football head coach was a dream, and he is clearly making the most of his opportunity.
Michael Fenters – Maconaquah
Fenters took a 7-4 team from 2023 and turned them into a 12-1 squad that narrowly lost to Fort Wayne Luers in last weekend’s regional action. The Braves hadn’t won a sectional title since 2018 under Austin Colby until Fenters’ impressive first season.
Charles Benintende – Madison
Under new head coach Charles Benintende, Madison achieved its first winning record since 2015, finishing the season 6-5.
Caleb Small – Northwestern (Kokomo)
Former Ben Davis offensive coordinator Caleb Small transformed a team that had just seven wins between 2018 and 2023. In 2024, the Tigers recorded a 9-2 record and developed a high-powered offense. Northwestern is clearly moving in a new direction under Small’s leadership.
Rob Patchett – Taylor
From 2018 to 2023, the Titans had just eight total wins. First-year head coach Rob Patchett, however, delivered a seven-win season and a sectional championship in 2024.