Mike Smith has a 417-66 career record.
File photo by Matt Merciez
A 1992 Virginia High School Hall of Fame member, Smith has numerous awards, the most coveted perhaps when he was voted the National Coach of the Year in 1995 by the National High School Coaches Association. Hampton was ranked No. 1 in the country in both 1995 and 1996 by several sources.
2011: Hampton returns a whopping 36 players from last year's team that was eliminated by eventual champion Phoebus. Twelve of those returners, however, were sophomores last season and two were freshmen, linebacker/fullback Marshawn Williams and guard Arrington Bazemore.
6. Robert Paroli (Seventy-First HS, Fayetteville, N.C.) 399-203 (12-2)The winningest coach in North Carolina history also had great success at Douglas Byrd HS. He was inducted into several Halls of Fame, including the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame in 2004 and last year at Cummings High School, where he coached just four seasons but turned around a program that had won 12 games in six years. In his last two seasons at Cummings, the teams went 10-0 and 9-1.
2011: After losing in the state 4AA quarterfinals last year, the Falcons should contend for another state title. Paroli led them to a state crown in 2008. He'll go after No. 400 in the season opener at home against Scotland.
7. Charles "Corky" Rogers (Bolles HS, Jacksonville, Fla.) 398-70-1 (11-1)The list of great Florida coaches is plentiful, but none have won more the Rogers, who has won nine state championships, also the most in the state. A member of two Halls of Fame – the Florida High School Athletic and Florida Athletic Coaches Association – Rogers was named 2004-05 National Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association. He led Bolles to back-to-back state crowns starting in 2008 – the first time it has accomplished that – but lost last season in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Trinity Catholic.
2011: The Bulldogs return three major lineman recruits in North Carolina-bound Jon Heck (6-7, 280) along with John Theus (6-6, 290) and Max Tejada (6-3, 285). Rogers will likely go after win No. 400 on Sept. 16 versus Crestview. The Bulldogs must first get past Bayside (Palm Bay, Fla.).
8. Al Fracassa (Brother Rice HS, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) 395-111-7 (6-4)
Al Fracassa is 395-111-7 during his career.
Photo courtesy of Brother Rice High School
Called the Joe Paterno of Michigan high school football, Fracassa has been inducted into seven halls of fame. His teams have won eight state and 12 Catholic League titles and in 1997 he was voted the NFL High School Coach of the Year. He starts his 42nd season as head coach at Brother Rice and 55th overall. The 78-year-old said practice is his favorite time. "I love it more than the games," he told the Detroit News. "I love the interviews with each of the players, individually."
2011: The Warriors return a trio of Division I prospects in Central Michigan commit and guard Dylan Anderson (6-4, 275), senior tight end Joe Warner (6-4, 230) and senior running back Devin Church (5-8, 175). Look for Fracassa's 400th win to come either Week 5 against University of Detroit or Week 6 against St. Mary's Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.). Asked last season about getting to win No. 400 and Fracassa said: "I try not to think about it. It only tells you how old I am."
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