The Ian Scott era on Northwest 13th Street is over.
Scott stepped down as Gainesville High football coach Wednesday, May 20, after three seasons on the job and with an 8-22 record. The coach informed athletic director Phillip Knight of his decision before the Hurricanes’ spring game Tuesday night at Citizens Field – a 21-14 win over North Marion. He told his team Wednesday.
“Coach Scott is an incredible person, and I am thankful for him and his family, for all they have done for our school for these last three years,” Knight told The Sun. “He has run our football program with compassion, grace, and dignity. I will be forever grateful to him for the job he has done here and for his impact on our athletic program and on our campus.”
Scott posted Wednesday morning on the website blastathletics.com that he and his wife “reached an unstainable financial situation and need to find jobs elsewhere.”
“Working with your students has been the honor of my life, and this has been such a difficult decision to make,” Scott said in the post.
Knight said the Hurricanes haven’t picked an interim coach yet. The school posted the opening on the FHSAA website Wednesday and hopes to start conducting interviews in the next two weeks.
The 44-year-old Scott returned to his high school alma mater in 2023 following the resignation of Dock Pollard. Pollard, a former Florida football player led the Hurricanes to a district title in 2021, but he limped to an 0-10 record in 2022 – meaning Scott took over a tough situation.
The wins struggled to come in 2023. The ‘Canes won just one game over Santa Fe and ended 1-9. Success began to arrive in year two. Led by running back Devin Johnson and wide receiver Calvin Thomas, and with Scott’s UF teammate Earnest Graham as offensive coordinator, the Hurricanes started 4-1.
Injuries, and a heartbreaking loss to Leesburg, ultimately curtailed GHS as it finished the season 5-5 – narrowly missing the postseason.
Scott and Co. kicked off 2025 with a 2-1 record, but once again injuries stopped the ‘Canes’ momentum. They lost seven in a row, including defeats to rivals Buchholz and Eastside by a combined 107-0.
The coach never defeated GHS’ two rivals in three seasons or won a district game.
Scott was born in Greenville, South Carolina. He moved to Gainesville and attended GHS from 1997-2000. His greatest success came on the hardwood, where Scott and the Hurricanes boys basketball team won state titles in 1999 and 2000. Led by future Florida basketball player Orien Greene and coach Anthony Long, those two teams are arguably the best in the history of the Gainesville area.
Scott, though, chose to pursue football, where he was recruited by Steve Spurrier. The head ball coach left after one season with Scott, and he found his most success under Ron Zook, who went on to replace Spurrier as Florida’s head football coach.
Scott was named second team All-SEC in 2002 and 2003. He declared for the NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears drafted him in the fourth round, and he spent four years in the Windy City – reaching the Super Bowl in 2006.
He retired in 2009 and served as an assistant at multiple colleges and with the Carolina Panthers before returning to Alachua County.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1 and on Instagram @Ramreporter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Former Florida football standout Ian Scott resigns as Gainesville High football coach
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
