Florida high school football coach receives six-game ban for violating policy on recruitment-related communication

Greg Miller’s Florida high school football debut for the Pasco Pirates will be delayed after the Florida High School Athletic Association issued a six-game ban and a $5,000 fine. The decision stems from the head coach’s illegal correspondence with a student-athlete on social media.

These sanctions are separate from the $2,500 fine and the administrative probation for Miller by Pasco. In an article by SI High School’s Andy Villamarzo, FHSAA public relations administrator Kelvin J. Richardson said that Miller will serve the suspension during the Pirates’ spring football game against Sunlake on May 23 and their first five games of the upcoming season.

Based on the presented evidence, Miller communicated with a Florida high school football athlete from Zephyrhills, who attended Pasco during the fall of the 2024-25 school year. However, the FHSAA deemed that the social media chat violated one bylaw and three policies. The governing body’s Bylaw 6.3.2 defines recruiting, while policies pertain to general regulations and prohibitions regarding communication with student-athletes.

The FHSAA found Miller in violation of Policy 37.1.1, which states:

“No school employee, athletic department staff member, representative of the school’s athletic interests or third parties, such as an independent person, business or organization, may make contact, either in person or through any form of written or electronic communication or through any third party, with a student, or any member of the student’s family, in an effort to pressure, urge or entice the student to attend a different school for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics.”

Likewise, the FHSAA mandated through Policies 37.1.2 and 37.1.2.1:

“Specifically prohibited contact by school employees, athletic department staff members, representatives of the school’s athletic interests or third parties with a student includes, but is not limited to, the following: Sending, or arranging for anyone else to send, any form of written or electronic communication to the student or any member of his/her family, in an attempt to pressure, urge or entice the student to attend a different school to participate in interscholastic athletics.”

Pasco High School hired Miller last February in hopes of turning around their struggling Florida high school football program. The Pirates finished 0-10 last season and 2-18 over the past two years. However, Miller hasn’t done much better after coaching the Pine Ridge Panthers to a 1-8 record last season.

Before working for Pine Ridge, Miller was a defensive assistant at Georgia’s South Gwinnett High School and a head coach for the River Ridge Royal Knights. Despite the coaching ban, the Pirates hope that Miller will be the leader who can deliver another Florida high school football state championship, which they last won in 1992.