East Ridge needs coach

Robinson leaving for job in college

East Ridge High School of Clermont must search for a new head football coach in a bizarre time when campuses and sports are shut down.

East Ridge, like other Orlando area schools, has been closed to students since mid-March due to the coronavirus outbreak. Spring football practice was canceled and nobody knows yet whether fall sports will resume for the 2020-21 school year.

Jason Robinson, who coached the Knights to a 15-17 record over the past three seasons, announced his departure this week.

East Ridge athletic director Ty Ensor said Robinson is taking a college job at Louisiana Lafayette, a program coming off an 11-3 season that included a bowl victory.

Robinson, 42, did not confirm that in a phone interview with the Sentinel on Friday morning.

“I’m not supposed to talk about it,” he said. “I have been given a unique opportunity to pursue something that has been a career goal of mine for a long time.

“It’s kind of scary to leave a situation where you’re comfortable and have great connections with people that are around you to take on something that is unknown. I’m using this as an opportunity to teach my kids: Don’t be scared to chase your dreams.”

Robinson was upgraded from offensive coordinator to interim head coach just before the 2017 season kicked off and led East Ridge to a 7-4 record and its first state playoff berth since 2011. The Knights were 3-7 in 2018 and then 5-6 last year with a 49-24 bowl-game loss to Tohopekaliga.

“We’re looking to find someone fairly quick,” Ensor said of his coaching search. “Obviously times are tough right now with the uncertainty. Nobody knows when kids will come back to school and when we’ll be able to have sports. It could possibly limit the applicants, but quite a few people from the area have already reached out.

“I think we’ll have a decent pool of candidates. East Ridge has won before. It can be a very successful program.”

East Ridge has a 33-50 record under four different head coaches over the past eight seasons. The Knights’ golden era saw its teams go 70-20 with four district championships in an eightyear span (2003-10) under the coach who started the new-school program in 2002, Bud O’Hara.