Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition

The calendar has turned and there are some football coaching vacancies out there.

- By Wells Dusenbury Staff writer wdusenbury@ sunsentine­l.com / @dusereport

For Florida high school football, January begins the offseason — when “off” doesn’t mean taking a break so much as getting a move on.

While plenty of players will look to transfer this month, coaches also will be making moves. As things stand, seven teams in Palm Beach and Broward counties will have new coaches next fall.

Here’s a look at who’s stepping in and what to expect in 2017. Glades Central

New coach: Vacant 2014-2016: Rick Casko Outlook: None of Glades Central’s previous six coaches have made it beyond three seasons, including Casko, who stepped down Nov. 15 after leading the program to a 24-11 mark.

Six-time state champions, the Raiders last won it all in 2006. Since then, Glades Central hasn’t been bad — earning 15 playoff wins in the past 10 years — but its fans have developed what may be a regrettabl­e championsh­ipor-bust mentality.

There’s still plenty of talent at Glades Central, but it’s not on the same level as it was in the past, notably from 1998-2000 when it won three consecutiv­e state titles. Plantation

New coach: Vacant 2016: Jesse Norris

Outlook: Hired in February to replace longtime coach Steve Davis, Norris didn’t last a full year after the Colonels’ 2-8 season this fall. While the school declined to comment on the dismissal, Norris said the administra­tion did not feel he was a good fit.

In Davis’ 11 seasons at the helm, Plantation reached the playoffs six times. The Colonels were young in 2016 and return 41 of the 62 players from last year’s roster. The team faces stiff district competitio­n, though, with Flanagan, Miramar and Western. Palm Beach Gardens New coach: Billy Clark Former coach: Rob Freeman, 2012-16

Outlook: After Rob Freeman was bounced despite the Gators’ five playoff appearance­s in five seasons and their 35-23 record during his tenure, many local coaches privately expressed interest in the position, which oversees a program that consistent­ly churns out Division 1-level prospects. But within a week, instead of opening the job to external candidates, Palm Beach Gardens promoted offensive coordinato­r Billy Clark.

Clark, who’s spent the past two years as a Gardens assistant, inherits a program that’s been a perennial playoff contender. Jupiter New coach: Tim Tharp Former coach/tenure: Bill Powers, 2015-16

Outlook: Taking over a program amid a 26-game losing streak, Tharp has work ahead as Jupiter will require a serious overhaul. The apathetic Warriors last made the playoffs in 2004 and finished 5-42 over their last five seasons.

Tharp’s last head coaching job was more than a decade ago, but he put together a solid 56-20 record in seven seasons at Palm Beach Gardens from 1998-2005.

The fact that Powers, a well-respected coach who won two state titles at Jupiter Christian and seemed like the perfect fit, couldn’t turn it around shows how difficult Tharp’s task will be. Santaluces New coach: Korey Banks Former coach: Jason Bradley, 2014-2016

Outlook: After a threeyear stint in which the program went 5-25, Bradley stepped down as the Chiefs’ coach following their regular-season finale. Banks, who spent last season as Boynton Beach’s defensive coordinato­r, faces a major rebuilding task. Santaluces last made the playoffs in 2009 and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2001. Village Academy New coach: Vacant Former coach: Don Hanna, 2009-2016

Outlook: After coaching the Tigers for eight of the program’s nine seasons, Hanna stepped down, saying he felt he maxed out the team’s potential and it was time for someone else to push it forward. Guiding the small Delray Beach program from infancy, he helped turn Village into a playoff contender, with postseason appearance­s in four of the last five seasons.

But the Tigers are still looking for their first playoff win.

As a charter school in a fertile football area, Village Academy offers an intriguing coaching job for someone who’s up-and-coming. Berean Christian New Coach: Vacant Former Coach: Brad Carney, 2011-2016

Outlook: After six years leading the program, Carney stepped down at season’s end. The Bulldogs went 4-6 this fall as a member of the independen­t Sunshine State Conference. Athletic director Joel Dunn said the school officially opened up the coaching search on Tuesday.

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