Mr. Football

Winners will be announced after another round of balloting

Benjamin quarterback Jordan Travis named a finalist for Florida’s Mr. Football.

Benjamin senior quarterback Jordan Travis and Chaminade-Madonna coach Dameon Jones were named finalists for the Florida Mr. Football and Football Coach of the Year awards.

Travis and Jones, respectively, won the two awards in Class 3A. They are now one of nine finalists, respectively — one for each of the eight classes plus one independent — for the overall awards presented by Florida Dairy Farmers, which will be announced after another round of balloting.

Travis, a Louisville commit, threw for 2,190 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 905 yards and 16 more scores.

Jones led the Lions to their first state title since 2005 with a 31-28 victory over Oxbridge Academy on Saturday.

In addition to Travis, Miami-committed running back Lorenzo Lingard of Orange City University is a finalist as the Class 8A nominee. Two state champion coaches out of Miami-Dade County are finalists for the Coach of the Year award — Northwestern’s Max Edwards (6A) and Champagnat’s Dennis Marroquin (2A).

There were several South Florida snubs.

American Heritage coach Patrick Surtain lost out for 5A Coach of the Year to Baker County’s Jamie Rodgers. It was the only class in which the state champion coach was not the finalist. Surtain, now 27-0 over two seasons as Patriots head coach, defeated Rodgers 44-15 in the state championship game.

Chaminade’s senior running back Shaun Shivers, an Auburn commit, and senior wide-out Xavier Williams, an Alabama commit, were second and third behind Travis in Class 3A.

Although Dade and Broward took four of the state’s eight state titles last weekend, neither county had any player nominated as a Mr. Football finalist. Among those who were finalists: Armwood running back Brian Snead, who averaged 2.6 yards per carry in the 6A final loss to Northwestern; Orlando Jones quarterback Quadry Jones, who was knocked out in the first round in 5A by Cardinal Gibbons; and Cambridge Christian quarterback Jaylin Jackson, who was shut out by Champagnat in a 2A state semifinal.

Balloting took place through a statewide panel of high school football coaches and prep media representatives.