The major buzz this offseason in Montgomery County high school football circles surrounds the Avalon School’s hiring of Tyree Spinner.
When Wootton High School and Spinner parted ways in January after two seasons, there was uproar in the North Potomac community.
Spinner had the Wootton football program headed in the right direction after guiding the Patriots to a 5-5 mark and barely missing the postseason during the 2013 campaign.
However, Spinner wasn’t out of work for long – he was named head coach at Avalon in March and the Black Knights have since been a major topic on internet message boards and social media including Twitter.
Through his various connections, Spinner has been able to recruit several highly-regarded players to the Gaithersburg private school including rising junior wide receiver Trevon Diggs, an All-Sentinel performer at Wootton last season.
The Black Knights will also boast former Good Counsel and Churchill quarterback Bryan Strittmatter along with former Watkins Mill standouts Daqwan Hill and Jaron Woodyard.
In fact, Avalon’s preseason schedule features a scrimmage at Good Counsel on Aug. 23.
“It is just a scrimmage,” said Spinner. “An opportunity for both teams to work out kinks and prepare for opening week.”
Spinner is among a group of six new head coaches in Montgomery County this year.
Wootton named Eddie Tolliver as Spinner’s replacement. Ironically, Tolliver was the guy who Spinner replaced when he was named the Patriots’ head coach in 2012.
Einstein, Magruder, Quince Orchard and Walter Johnson have also hired new head coaches.
Former Richard Montgomery head coach Neal Owens takes over at Einstein where he replaces Jermaine Howell who stepped down after a three-year stint at the Kensington public school.
Meanwhile, Ray Fowle becomes the new head coach at his alma mater Magruder while former assistants John Kelley (Quince Orchard) and Greg Kellner (Walter Johnson) were both promoted to head coach at their respective schools.