The coaching carousel has gone for another whirl following the completion of spring football in Southwest Florida.
Manny Evans, who took the Gulf Coast job in March 2024, was relieved of his duties as head football coach on Monday, June 2. The news comes following the Sharks’ spring game against Riverdale last week, which resulted in a 27-27 tie against the Class 5A state semifinalists.
In a meeting with Gulf Coast principal Tim Kutz and activities coordinator Alan Scott, Evans was notified he wouldn’t be returning as the head coach, leaving him shocked.
“I was informed of the news and was surprised,” Evans said. “But I respected the decision. I spent five years with Mr. Kutz when he was the principal at Barron Collier. I’ve had a relationship with him that goes back to 2007. Coach Scott was the one that afforded me the opportunity to be a head coach. All I did at the end was respect their decision.
“I feel like I let a culture down. Not a lot of us get an opportunity.”
In a letter sent to Gulf Coast football families, Scott didn’t specify what prompted the change. Evans went 10-11 in his two seasons, coming up short against Immokalee for the district title in both 2024 and 2025 by a combined nine points.
“We would like to thank Coach Evans for his dedication, time, and commitment to our student-athletes and football program during his tenure at Gulf Coast High School,” Scott said. “We appreciate the countless hours he invested in supporting our students and wish him the very best moving forward.”
Evans remains employed at Gulf Coast where he serves as an ESE Inclusion teacher as well as the head track coach, according to a school district spokesperson.
Tommy Kleinmeyer, an offensive assistant and head wrestling coach at Gulf Coast, will serve as the Sharks’ head coach for the 2026 season, according to Scott. Kleinmeyer previously was Golden Gate’s interim head coach during their historic 2023 season, one that saw head coach Nick Bigica get suspended six games for recruiting violations.
The Sharks have been poached hard in each of the last two seasons by other schools, with solid players leaving to other programs in Collier County. Kleinmeyer and his staff will aim to limit that, and turn Gulf Coast into a destination in the coming years.
“Coach Kleinmeyer is a respected member of our athletic department and school community,” Scott said. “We are confident in his ability to provide strong leadership for our student-athletes during this transition.”
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Manny Evans out as Gulf Coast football coach after two seasons
Reporting by Alex Martin, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alex Martin, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
