AI-assisted summary
• Escambia High School football coach Mike Bennett enters his 40th year of coaching with renewed focus on player development.
• The Pensacola area high school football season kicks off with numerous coaching changes and a sense of parity among teams.
• Several teams have new head coaches, creating intrigue around their potential performance.

(This story was updated to correct location of Pine Forest vs. Pensacola High School game.)

Even after practice ended on Aug. 19, the intensity with Escambia football coach Mike Bennett was still going full throttle.

He made sure players got a message, following a lengthy period of wind sprints, that performance needed to be improved.

The urgency is now. Bennett, who began coaching in Pensacola in 1985, hits a 40-year milestone on Aug. 22 when the 2025 high school football season has its traditional opening night among area teams. The Gators have one of the feature opening night matchups, facing West Florida High at Escambia’s Emmitt Smith Field.

Four decades have passed. Bennett’s energy has not waned, even at age 65, and now the unequivocal dean of Northwest Florida prep football coaches.  

“Oh yeah, I still have the fire,” Bennett said, leaning back in his office chair. “I want to coach. I love coaching. I just want to see kids improve and that’s the biggest thing.

Catch this week’s football action on the NFHS Network

“I was all about winning before, it was all about winning, winning, winning. Now, it’s changed. Yeah, we want to win, but it’s also seeing kids develop and getting an opportunity to play college football whether it’s Division I, Division II, NAIA or junior college football.”

Along with the consistent success, the players he’s guided to a college opportunity, Bennett has been loyal to coaching in Pensacola. He’s either coached or faced virtually every one of this area’s greatest players in history.

It cannot be stated enough that two of the NFL’s all-time greatest players, Emmitt Smith and Derrick Brooks, both grew up in Pensacola and went from these stadiums as high school stars to pro football immortality.

Bennett has known both since they were teenagers.

He was coaching at Booker T. Washington High when Brooks was a freshman and college recruiters kept asking about this kid wearing No. 22. Brooks went from under-the-radar to NFL superstardom.

“We’ve had so much talent here,” Bennett said. “So many great athletes. Pensacola is up there with anyone.”This year, a new season begins with seven of the 14 schools having new coaches. One of those is West Florida’s Wes Summerford, who built success at Northview.With all these changes comes plenty of unknowns on which teams will emerge a cut above.“A lot of these coaches have still been around, they are just at new programs,” Bennett said. “I think everybody in Pensacola can beat each other. I don’t see any team so much better than anyone else. There are still a lot of good coaches and lot of coaches that do it the right way.“I think the parity is here. I think football will be just fine.”Bennett credits his decision in 2017 to take over Escambia’s program, following two seasons as athletic director at Pensacola High and 18 prior years as the PHS head coach.“I never thought about quitting,” he said. “Even when I became (athletic director) at PHS, I still had the fire. I wasn’t physically able then to do what I was able to do.KEEPING AN EYE ON ‘EM: Top 100 Florida football recruits 2026 class: Updated list for 2025 regular season

“So, those two years I had off rejuvenated me. I always knew I was going to coach again. I just love coaching, man.”

Week 1 schedule

West Florida at Escambia

When: 7 p.m. Aug. 22.

Where: Emmitt Smith Field.Key players: Escambia — DB-WR D’Jaylan Benjamin, DB Jo’navan Bryant, DB Charles Lyons, QB Billy Dunn; West Florida — Javon Carlisle, QB Xavier Finley.Last meeting: 2024 — Escambia 45, West Florida 12.Quick look: The Gators boast a strong returning defense, one that Bennett believes is one of the best in the area. Wes Summerford makes his head coaching debut at West Florida, after lifting Northview to success and previously working as a offensive coordinator at West Florida. The Jaguars have a senior-laden team with a bulk of those players being on the field last season.“We just have to go out there and play,” Bennett said. “And not make mistakes. I expect big plays from our defense, it’s the most experienced group. Our secondary is really, really good. We are two deep back there.”Pensacola Catholic at NavarreWhen: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22Where: Dolphin Stadium, Gulf Breeze High School.Last Meeting: 2024 — Catholic 33, Navarre 0Key players: Navarre — QB Roman Marshall, WR-DB Marquez White, LB Roan Strom; Catholic — WR Caden Jasso, WR Donnelle Gulley, LB Kaleb Johnson, DB Cooper Allison.  Quick look: It was announced on Aug. 20 that this game has been moved to Dolphin Stadium because of the field condition issues at Navarre. Former Gulf Breeze and Fort Walton Beach head coach Bobby Clayton makes his debut for the Crusaders. The Raiders are coming off their first losing season (3-7) since 2009. Second-year coach Garrett Bagley is rebuilding the Raiders with a strong junior class. Catholic graduated many of its top players and had others transfer to Pine Forest to play for the Kerry McDowell.Pine Forest at Pensacola HighWhen: 7 p.m. Aug. 22Where: Jim Scoggins StadiumLast meeting: 2024 — Pine Forest 19, Pensacola 6.Key players: Pine Forest — DB Justin Weatherall, DB Trevion Johnson, DT Trenton Henderson, DT Mosley, DT RJ Payne; Pensacola —  QB Jamarcuz Fountain, DL Ty’jalin Cunningham, RB Courtney George.Quick look: The Tigers breakthrough season last year including winning the Mayor’s Bowl and First City Bowl. And PHS just missed on a playoff spot, finishing ninth in the Class 3A rankings. Eight seniors return. The Eagles have a new coach with former Catholic defensive coordinator Kerry McDowell and boast a defense that includes a group of transfer players, along with one of the region’s premier college prospects in Henderson, who has committed to LSU. Their defense will help led new quarterback Jacorie Thomas settle in and find some rhythm with new receivers.Fort Walton Beach at Tate  When: 7 p.m. Aug. 22.Where: Pete Gindl Stadium.Last meeting: 2024 — Tate 24, Fort Walton Beach 0.Key players: Tate — WR Elijah West, WR Laquarius Bradford, DB Samir Muhammad, DB Kameron Williams and Johnatthan Deloach.Quick look: The Aggies begin the year with a favorable schedule. Their first three games and four of the first five games are at home. Tate is coming off a 7-4 season in coach Rhett Summerford’s third year in 2024 — the first winning season since 2017 — and has made steady progress under his leadership. Also fueling optimism is Tate has 28 seniors on this team.Pace at Mary G. MontgomeryWhen: 7 p.m. Aug. 22.Where: E.S. Grider Stadium, Semmes, Alabama.Last meeting: 2024 — Pace 17, Mary G. Montgomery 14.Key players: Pace — OL Grant Wise, OL Mason Mathis, RB Makael Williams, QB Brooks Washington.Quick look: It will be the head coaching debut for Vance Smith, who takes over at Pace after his father, Kent Smith, retired. The Patriots rolled to the district title last season and reached the Region 1-6A semifinals. The Patriots have the area’s top-regarded offensive line and Williams rushed for 1,213 yards as a sophomore a year ago.Crestview at MiltonWhen: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22.Where: Haywood Hanna Panther Stadium.Last meeting: 2024 — Crestview 42, Milton 7.Key players: Milton — WR-DB David Aboya, CB-WR R.J. Coleman WR-DB Kaiden Hall, TE Brendan Farish.Quick look: Milton’s new coach, Ronnie Douglas, has made an impact and won everywhere he’s coached. He’s now taking over a team that went winless (0-10) last season, but the Panthers are definitely a team to watch this year. They have a group of talented two-way players, including Hall (committed to Florida) and Aboya (Southern Miss).Gulf Breeze at South WaltonWhen: 7 p.m. Aug. 22.Where: South Walton Stadium, Santa Rosa Beach.Last meeting: 2024 — Gulf Breeze 20, South Walton 16.Key players: Gulf Breeze — WR Troy Matlock, WR Caleb Carter, DB Cooper Allison, LB Jaxson Rich.Quick look: New coach Erik Harris, former New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders safety, will be Gulf Breeze’s fourth different coach in the past four season-opening games. The Dolphins will help christen a new $18 million, synthetic turf field stadium at South Walton that was unveiled for the spring game.

Lighthouse Christian Academy at Jay

When: 7 p.m. Aug. 22.

Where: Jay Stadium.

Last meeting: First-time matchup.

Key players: Jay — RB Jaymes Youngblood, QB Jaylen Youngblood, DL Chase Dooley. LB Dominan Gomez.

Quick look: Jay’s 9-2 record in 2024 was the school’s best in 20 years. This season will be a twin brother backfield with the Youngbloods. The Royals have just seven seniors, but the junior class is experienced. Lighthouse Christian is in the building stages with its program.

Northview at Destin

When: 7 p.m. Aug. 22.

Where: Marlin Field, Destin Middle School.

Last meeting: 2024 — Northview 26, Destin 7

Key players: – WR-CB Nate Duffy, LB-TE Sam Reid, RB-CB Jeremy Thomas.

Quick look: Northview opens the season on the road with a new coach, longtime Flomaton (Ala.) head coach Doug Vickery, playing against one of the newest football programs in the region. The Sharks enter their fourth year with former Florida State star receiver E.G. Green as head coach. The roster is 55-65 players, as many as Class 6A teams have.  

Central at Franklin County

When: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22.

Where: Seahawk Stadium, East Point.

Key players: Central — RB Jayden Joiner, Jonathan Shelton, Kaleb Smith.

Last meeting: First time matchup.

Quick look: Central begins its second year as a varsity program under former Pace and Florida State fullback Joe Surratt. The roster size is small, but the players returning showed visible improvement and got a late-season win in 2024. Central played eight games last season.

Booker T. Washington (bye)

The Wildcats got a preseason game in last week at Tallahassee-Chiles High and will start the season with an off week.

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Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached atbvilona@bluewahoos.com.