Football
Jesuit football has a great tradition of success, with State Championships in 1968 and 2021 and a State runner-up finish in 1992. Entering the 2023 season, Jesuit has earned 5 straight Region titles and 7 of the past 8. Since 2015, the Tigers are 92-18 overall, including the 15-0 State Championship campaign in 2021 in which Jesuit defeated national powerhouse Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 24-21, Miami Northwestern 37-12 in the State Semifinal, and Pensacola Pine Forest 35-29 in the State Final, finishing the year ranked No. 8 nationally by both MaxPreps and USA Today.
This success on the field has resulted in numerous Tigers annually receiving All-State recognition and signing to play major college football. Recent such players include LB/S Troy Bowles '23 (University of Georgia), WR Jarriett Buie '23 (Iowa), RB Jo Smith '23 (Temple), LB A.J. Cottrill '22 (Florida State), WR Junior Vandeross '22 (Toledo), LB/S Wade Woodaz '22 (Clemson), WR Jaydn Girard '22 (Wake Forest), and S Caleb Williams '22 (Furman). Other Tigers currently playing college football include Jonathan Odom '20 (Florida), Connor McLaughlin '20 (Stanford), Trevor Mayberry '20 (Stanford), and Anthony Nelson '18 (Duke).
Jesuit's football teams – Varsity, JV, and Freshman squads – play in the shadow of the majestic Jesuit Bell Tower before large, raucous crowds on Alumni Field at Corral Memorial Stadium. The powerful Blue Tide student fans have helped the Tigers defeat rival Tampa Catholic 22 of the past 23 seasons, including every home game vs. TC since the 1990s. In the opening game win of the 2022 season over Wharton, head coach Matt Thompson, who was starting his 10th season at Jesuit, won his 100th game.
Many Jesuit alumni have played in the NFL, including current players Dane Belton '19 (New York Giants) and Malik Davis '17 (Dallas Cowboys). Davis is one of the greatest prep players in Hillsborough County history, and he completed his Jesuit career as the county's all-time leader in rushing (7,029 yards) and touchdowns (84) before playing for the University of Florida. Other Jesuit alumni to play in the NFL include Jay Feely '94, who was one of three finalists for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2014; Anthony Allen '06, who earned a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013; and Garrison Sanborn '03, who played 11 NFL seasons from 2009-19, including two in Tampa with the Buccaneers. See below the 2023 Jesuit football schedules, rosters, and more.
2023 VARSITY SCHEDULE |
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DATE | TIME | OPPONENT | LOCATION |
8-18 | 7:00 | Jones (preseason) |
Orlando |
8-25 | 7:30 | Wharton | Jesuit |
9-1 | 7:00 | Treasure Coast | Port St. Lucie |
9-8 | 7:30 | Miami Columbus | Jesuit |
9-22 | 7:30 | Armwood | Jesuit |
9-29 | 7:30 | Leto | Leto |
10-6 | 7:30 | Bishop Verot | Jesuit |
10-13 | 7:30 | Gaither (Homecoming) | Jesuit |
10-20 | 7:30 | Tampa Bay Tech | Tampa Bay Tech |
10-27 | 7:30 | Hillsborough | Jesuit |
11-3 | 7:30 | Tampa Catholic | Jesuit |
VARSITY HEAD COACH - MATT THOMPSON
2023 VARSITY ROSTER
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2023 JV ROSTER - COMING SOON
2023 COACHING STAFF
VARSITY
MATT THOMPSON, P ’21 – Head Varsity Football Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
DARRELL PALMER – Defensive Coordinator/DBs
DON MESICK – Offensive Coordinator/QBs
DEREK BACHMAN – Running Backs
BRIAN CALLAHAN ’91, P ’22, ’25 – Defensive Line
JEFF CARLSON – Assistant QBs Coach
JEFF GARNER – Kickers/Punters/Long Snappers/Holders
GARY GIVENS, P ’24 – Director of Strength & Conditioning/DBs
DENNY HAYWOOD, P ’25, ’27 – Outside Linebackers
SEAN LOVE – Offensive Line
CHUCK MCLEOD, P ’22, ’25 – Inside Linebackers
TRISTIAN OWUSU-YAW – Defensive Backs
CAMERON RUFF ’13 – Offensive Line
JOHN TELFER – Outside Linebackers
JUNIOR VARSITY
MATT KAISER - Head JV Football Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
JOE DeLUCIA, P ’25 – Defensive Coordinator/ILBs
BOB RODDENBERRY ’80 – Offensive Coordinator/QBs
KYLE CRAMER – Offensive Line/Defensive Line
WESLEY FORDE – Defensive Backs
GREG HARLOW ’69, P ’10 – Offensive Line
DENIS LOPEZ, P ’21, ’22, ’23 – Outside Linebackers
BOB PICCIRILLI ’69, P ’07 – Wide Receivers
ROB TAYLOR, P ’27 – Defensive Line