Cannon was most recently an assistant coach at University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
February 17, 2010
EUSTIS – Jonathan Cannon now will be trying to win football games for the program that he once, so dearly, loved to beat.
Cannon, 42, a 1986 Leesburg graduate and a former Class 3A all-state running back, has been named Eustis' head football coach. He is replacing longtime assistant Bill Larkin, who stepped in to take over the program last July, just two weeks before practice began after first-year coach Mike Kintz resigned.
"The thing is, when I left Florida, I still called up OrlandoSentinel.com and followed football in Lake County, so I have stayed somewhat familiar with it," Cannon said. "And, I still have a lot of friends in the area. My parents are still in the Lake County area so I was still coming down there from time-to-time.
"I have a young son excited to spend some time with his grandparents."
For Cannon, this is a chance to come home and bring his considerable knowledge and experience with him.
Cannon was released in November as the offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff after six years. He also had served as an assistant head coach and offensive line coach there and, in 2006, he temporarily took over the head coaching duties for former coach Mo Forte, who was having health problems. Cannon helped the Golden Lions reach the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game that year where they lost to Alabama A&M.
He also was an assistant coach at Howard University and spent 10 years as an assistant coach at Norfolk State University. In addition, he spent one summer (2003) as a coaching intern with the Baltimore Ravens and another (2000) as a coaching intern with the Chicago Bears.
"He is a son of Lake County who we are happy to give an opportunity to come back home," Eustis principal Al Larry said. "He is an outstanding football coach. I think he has a total of about 17 years of experience coaching in the college ranks and he has some experience with the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears.
"Jonathan Cannon came off as a classy guy with me. He appeared to be a highly professional model, not just for the kids, but for the other coaches on our staff. He was well dressed and he carried himself well. His answers to our questions were very polished. He has the kind of presence, the kind of persona that will capture young athletes' attention."
Eustis, traditionally one of Lake's better football programs, is coming off consecutive 2-8 seasons after going 9-3 in 2007.
Cannon was one of three finalists narrowed down from an original field of 75 applicants by a search committee. Larry brought finalists in for a second interview last week before making his decision.
"It was a very impressive group of candidates," Larry said. "There were some really good applicants who we never even got a chance to interview. We think we have us a good one."
Cannon said he plans to be on the job by March 1, beginning preparations for spring practice in May.
Cannon, who was also a basketball standout at Leesburg, had one of his more memorable games his senior season against Eustis in what is Lake County's most historic rivalry. He rushed for 105 yards in that game and scored the game-winning touchdown with 7:55 left in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard plunge in a 7-6 come-from-behind victory for the Yellow Jackets.
"You know, I remember that game very well," Cannon said with a laugh. "I still have a lot of friends in Leesburg and they are very excited about me coming back. The only thing, I have had several say, ‘I guess I will have to become a Eustis Panther now, huh?' I am happy to be coming back home."
Read Joe Williams' blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/varsityblog and e-mail him at jwilliams@orlandosentinel.com.
Resources
Gerald Lacey
CEO/President
Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc.
http://www.leesburgyellowjacketsfootball.com/
http://www.myebooksresell.com/
Showing posts with label eustis panthers football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eustis panthers football. Show all posts
Friday, July 16, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Leesburg Stings Eustis, Ends 1-point Rivalry
September 04, 1993 By Gerard Shields of The Sentinel Staff
EUSTIS — What has been a dream one-point rivalry over the last three years turned into a nightmare for the Eustis Panthers, who fell to the rival Leesburg Yellowjackets, 14-0.
Turnovers, penalties and a first half of losing yardage put the Panthers (0-1) behind to stay, despite a valiant second half comeback that looked like it was going to make the game interesting.
The Yellowjackets (1-0) bulled their way through the first half, rotating four running backs and capitalizing on Eustis errors.
A 22-yard Yellowjacket punt return to the Panther nine-yard line by Aaron Blake set up Leesburg's first score early in the first quarter. Three plays later Blake plunged over for the game-winning touchdown.
Leesburg scored again in the second quarter when quarterback T.J. Gooden scrambled for an 11-yard run after getting the ball off a Eustis fumble.
The rotation of Leesburg backs was a far cry from a year ago when Leesburg counted solely on running great Oran Singleton, who graduated after high-stepping into the Florida rushing history books.
''We've got six backs and I'm not afraid to play any of them,'' Leesburg Coach Ed Hoffman said after the win.
While the Eustis defense couldn't slow down Leesburg, a torrential downpour did. After a 40-minute rain and lightning delay in the third quarter, the teams returned and a rejuvenated Eustis squad buckled down.
The younger and smaller Panthers juggled outside and inside runs to gain their first two first downs, before coughing up the ball with a fumble.
Panther defenders kept Leesburg at midfield behind the tackles of defensive tackle Billy Rhodes.
The Panther offense also got rolling behind the running of John Potts. Potts caught two passes in the winding minutes, but Eustis fumbled again at the one-minute mark.
''Every time we got something going it seemed something happened,'' Eustis Coach Kevin McClelland said. ''We whipped their butts the second half. I'm not happy with the score but I think we earned some respect.''
The past three years, the rivalry ended in one-point victories. Three years ago, Eustis won 22-21. Leesburg won the past two games by identical 7-6 scores.
Resources
Gerard Shields of The Sentinel Staff
Orlando Sentinel
Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
CEO/President
Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc.
http://www.leesburgyellowjacketsfootball.com/
http://www.myebooksresell.com/
EUSTIS — What has been a dream one-point rivalry over the last three years turned into a nightmare for the Eustis Panthers, who fell to the rival Leesburg Yellowjackets, 14-0.
Turnovers, penalties and a first half of losing yardage put the Panthers (0-1) behind to stay, despite a valiant second half comeback that looked like it was going to make the game interesting.
The Yellowjackets (1-0) bulled their way through the first half, rotating four running backs and capitalizing on Eustis errors.
A 22-yard Yellowjacket punt return to the Panther nine-yard line by Aaron Blake set up Leesburg's first score early in the first quarter. Three plays later Blake plunged over for the game-winning touchdown.
Leesburg scored again in the second quarter when quarterback T.J. Gooden scrambled for an 11-yard run after getting the ball off a Eustis fumble.
The rotation of Leesburg backs was a far cry from a year ago when Leesburg counted solely on running great Oran Singleton, who graduated after high-stepping into the Florida rushing history books.
''We've got six backs and I'm not afraid to play any of them,'' Leesburg Coach Ed Hoffman said after the win.
While the Eustis defense couldn't slow down Leesburg, a torrential downpour did. After a 40-minute rain and lightning delay in the third quarter, the teams returned and a rejuvenated Eustis squad buckled down.
The younger and smaller Panthers juggled outside and inside runs to gain their first two first downs, before coughing up the ball with a fumble.
Panther defenders kept Leesburg at midfield behind the tackles of defensive tackle Billy Rhodes.
The Panther offense also got rolling behind the running of John Potts. Potts caught two passes in the winding minutes, but Eustis fumbled again at the one-minute mark.
''Every time we got something going it seemed something happened,'' Eustis Coach Kevin McClelland said. ''We whipped their butts the second half. I'm not happy with the score but I think we earned some respect.''
The past three years, the rivalry ended in one-point victories. Three years ago, Eustis won 22-21. Leesburg won the past two games by identical 7-6 scores.
Resources
Gerard Shields of The Sentinel Staff
Orlando Sentinel
Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
CEO/President
Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc.
http://www.leesburgyellowjacketsfootball.com/
http://www.myebooksresell.com/
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