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Ray Grant Jr. steps down as McLaughlin (Fla.) football coach

IMG_8358by: Andy Villamarzo7 hours agoAndy_Villamarzo

Just one season of heading up one of Florida high school football’s newest programs, Ray Grant Jr. will be stepping away as the head coach of McLaughlin (Fla.).

According to a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Grant Jr. announced that he was stepping down as the Phoenix’s head coach.

“After much thought, I have made the decision to step down as Head Football Coach at McLaughlin. I’m grateful for every player, coach, parent, and supporter who believed in our vision. I can only hope I’ve left this place better than I found it,” Grant Jr. said in a statement via social media.

Grant Jr. was McLaughlin’s first-ever head football coach and accepted the position in the spring of 2025 after serving as the varsity wide receivers/junior varsity head coach on the Sanford Seminole coaching staff under head coach Karl Calhoun.

Out of the gates this past Florida high school football season, the Phoenix lost their first three games before winning their first-ever game. McLaughlin ended up getting out-scored 343-112 through 10 games competing as an independent team in Year 1, but continued to show promise as the season wore on.

Now after just one season as a program, McLaughlin is already looking for a second head coach in Year 2.

The Phoenix are coming off their first-ever season as a program where the team went 2-8, with McLaughlin earning victories over Discovery and Palm Beach Christian, respectively.

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