Active and all-time winningest high school football coaches

Video: Football coach John McKissick wins 600th game
See the Friday Night Live segment on the legendary South Carolina coach.

The 2015 high school football season will see a changing of the guard among the winningest active coaches now that John McKissick of Summerville (S.C.) has announced his retirement.

McKissick, the record holder for most all-time coaching wins in high school football history with 621, announced his retirement in June after 63 years of coaching - all at Summerville.

McKissick's retirement makes J.T. Curtis of Curtis (River Ridge, La.) the active coach with the most all-time wins at 542. Curtis led his team to a 12-2 record last year and his teams have averaged 12 wins a season since he started coaching the Patriots in 1969.

George Curry of Berwick has also announced his retirement, but it won't be effective until the end of the 2015 season. Curry coached for 35 years at Berwick and later at Wyoming Valley West before returning to Berwick in 2012. He ranks No. 3 on the active win list and No. 5 all-time with 446 wins.

A total of five coaches could go over 400 career wins this year, a mark achieved by only 15 coaches in high school history. Jack Henzes of Dunmore (Pa.) and Bob Milloy of Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) both begin the season with 392 wins, while Larry "Bud" Wright of Sheridan (Ind.) and Bill Castle of Lakeland (Fla.) both have 391 wins. Phillip Haywood, who led Belfry (Ky.) to a 13-2 record and a state championship last year, begins the season with 389 wins.

While McKissick's 63 years of coaching are a national record, Dick Tighe of St. Edmond (Fort Dodge, Iowa) is just one year away from tying that mark. He enters the 2015 season with 62 years of service, including a 12-1 record in 2014.

MaxPreps presents the top 25 winningest active football coaches as researched by Steven A. Floyd of Corpus Christi, Texas. Floyd began researching and maintaining records on football coaching wins in 2008 and has a list of 224 coaches with 300 more wins. 


1. J.T. Curtis, Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 542-58-6
Tenure: 1969-2015, 47 years
2014: 12-2

2. Mike Smith, Hampton (Va.), 451-81-2
Tenure: 1971-2015, 45 years
2014: 7-4

3. George Curry, Berwick (Berwick, Pa.), 446-99-5
Tenure: 1967-2008/2012-2015, 46 years
2014: 9-3
- also coached at Wyoming Valley West.

4. Charles "Corky" Rogers, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), 444-80-1
Tenure: 1971-2015, 45 years
2014: 11-3
- also coached at Lee (Jacksonville, Fla.).

5. Dick Tighe, St. Edmond (Fort Dodge, Iowa), 425-156-8
Tenure: 1954-2015, 62 years
2014: 12-1
- also coached at Kuemper Catholic, Webster City, Iowa Falls, Hamilton Catholic, Ontario.

6. Robert Hyland, St. Mary's Springs (Fond du Lac, Wis.), 413-102-2
Tenure: 1971-2015, 45 years
2014: 14-0

7. John Herrington, Harrison (Farmington Hills, Mich.), 411-97-1
Tenure: 1970-2015, 46 years
2014: 10-3

8. Phil Danaher, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas), 407-103-4
Tenure: 1974-2015, 42 years
2014: 7-5
- also coached at Dilly, Hamshire-Fanett.

9. Jack Henzes, Dunmore (Pa.), 392-156-8
Tenure: 1966-215, 50 years
2014: 14-2
- also coached at Wyoming Area.

9. Bob Milloy, Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 392-113-1
Tenure: 1970-2015, 46 years
2014: 10-2
- also coached at Whitman, Sherwood, Springbrook.

11. Larry "Bud" Wright, Sheridan (Ind.), 391-179-2
Tenure: 1964-2015, 52 years
2014: 7-6

11. Bill Castle, Lakeland (Fla.), 391-83-0
Tenure: 1976-2015, 40 years
2014: 11-1
Note: Castle's record does not include 21 forfeit losses and 1 forfeit win.

13. Phillip Haywood, Belfry (Ky.), 389-127-0
Tenure: 1975-2015, 41 years
2014: 13-2
- also coached at Prestonburg.

14. Jerry Pezzetti, Ankeny Centennial (Iowa), 385-149-1
Tenure: 1962-2015, 54 years
2014: 7-3
- also coached at Ankeny, Melcher-Dallas, Murray.

14. Curt Bladt, Harlan (Iowa), 385-51-0
Tenure: 1978-2015, 38 years
2014: 3-6

16. C.J. Hamilton, Silver Lake (Kan.), 382-86-0
Tenure: 1976-2015, 40 years
2014: 11-2

17. Jim Render, Upper St. Clair (Pa.), 379-125-7
Tenure: 1970-2015, 46 years
2014: 4-6
- also coached at Carrollton, Uniontown.

18. Jim Hightower, St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.), 376-116-1
Tenure: 1974-2015, 42 years
2014: 9-2
- also coached at Catholic-Pointe Coupee.

19. Jerry Sinz, Edgar (Wis.), 375-75-0
Tenure: 1975-2015, 41 years
2014: 12-1

20. Sid Otton, Tumwater (Wash.), 370-129-0
Tenure: 1968-2015, 48 years
2014: 12-1
- also coached at Colfax, Coupeville.

21. Bill Hurst, Centreville Academy (Miss.), 370-98-0
Tenure: 1976-2015, 40 years
2014: 14-1

22. Tommy Knotts, Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.), 367-60-0
Tenure: 1983-2003/2005-2015, 32 years
2014: 12-3
- also coached at Harding, West Charlotte, Independence.

23. Tony Severino, Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.), 366-92-1
Tenure: 1977-2015, 39 years
2014: 12-2
- also coached at Shawnee Mission.

24. Jim France, Manchester (Akron, Ohio), 365-108-3
Tenure: 1971-1984/1986-2015, 44 years
2014: 5-5
- also coached at Coventry.

25. Jim Roth, Southern Columbia Area (Catawissa, Pa.), 364-62-2
Tenure: 1984-2015, 32 years
2014: 11-1

26. Ron Stolski, Brainerd (Minn.), 361-159-5
Tenure: 1962-2015, 54 years, 2014: 6-3
- also coached at Kensington, Slayton, Princeton, Park Center.

Editor's Note: Original post did not have George Curry on active list. Correction was made to add Curry to active list at No. 3.


1. John McKissick, Summerville (S.C.), 621-156-13
Tenure: 1952-2014, 63 years

2. J.T. Curtis, Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 542-58-6
Tenure: 1969-2015, 47 years

3. Larry Campbell, Lincoln County (Lincolnton, Ga.), 477-85-3
Tenure: 1972-2013, 42 years

4. Mike Smith, Hampton (Va.), 451-81-2
Tenure: 1971-2015, 45 years

5. George Curry, Berwick (Pa.), 446-99-5
Tenure: 1967-2008/2012-2014, 45 years
- also coached at Wyoming Valley West.

6. Charles "Corky" Rogers, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), 444-80-1
Tenure: 1971-2015, 45 years
- also coached at Lee (Jacksonville, Fla.).

7. Al Fracassa, Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 430-117-7
Tenure: 1960-2013, 54 years
- also coached at Shrine (Royal Oak).

8. G.A. Moore, Aubrey (Texas), 426-92-9
Tenure: 1963-70/1972-2004/2009-11, 44 years
- also coached at Pilot Point, Celina, Sherman.

9. Dick Tighe, St. Edmond (Fort Dodge, Iowa), 425-156-8
Tenure: 1954-2015, 62 years
- also coached at Kuemper Catholic, Webster City, Iowa Falls, Hamilton Catholic, Ontario.

10. Robert Hyland, St. Mary's Springs (Fond du Lac, Wis.), 413-102-2
Tenure: 1971-2015, 45 years

11. John Herrington, Harrison (Farmington Hills, Mich.), 411-97-1
Tenure: 1970-2015, 46 years

11. Jack Holley, Harrells Christian Academy (N.C.), 411-95-9
Tenure: 1964-92/1993-97/1999-2006/2008-10, 45 years
- also coached at Tabor City, Hallsboro, West Columbus, South Columbus, Wallace-Rose Hill.

13. Phil Danaher, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas), 407-103-4
Tenure: 1974-2015, 42 years
- also coached at Dilly, Hamshire-Fanett.

14. Pete Adkins, Jefferson City (Mo.), 405-60-4
Tenure: 1951-1994, 44 years
- also coached at Centralia.

15. Robert Paroli, Seventy-First (Fayetteville, N.C.), 403-206-13
Tenure: 1958-2012, 55 years
- also coached at Douglas Byrd (Fayetteville), Benson (Jacksonville), Fike (Wilson) and Cummings (Burlington).

16. Bob Ladouceur, De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 399-24-3
Tenure: 1979-2012, 34 years

17. Gordon Wood, Brownwood (Texas), 394-93-15
Tenure: 1940-42/1945-85, 44 years
- also coached at Rule, Haskell, Roscoe, Seminole, Winters, Stamford, Victoria.

18. Jack Henzes, Dunmore (Pa.), 392-156-8
Tenure: 1966-215, 50 years
- also coached at Wyoming Area.

18. Bob Milloy, Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 392-113-1
Tenure: 1970-2015, 46 years
also coached at Whitman, Sherwood, Springbrook.

20. Larry "Bud" Wright, Sheridan (Ind.), 391-179-2
Tenure: 1964-2015, 52 years

20. Bill Castle, Lakeland (Fla.), 391-83-0
Tenure: 1976-2015, 40 years

22. Phillip Haywood, Belfry (Ky.), 389-127-0
Tenure: 1975-2015, 41 years
- also coached at Prestonburg.

23. Jerry Pezzetti, Ankeny Centennial (Iowa), 385-149-1
Tenure: 1962-2015, 54 years
- also coached at Ankeny, Melcher-Dallas, Murray.

23. Curt Bladt, Harlan (Iowa), 385-51-0
Tenure: 1978-2015, 38 years

25. Willie Varner, Woodruff (S.C.), 383-132-10
Tenure: 1954-1996, 43 years