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Former NFL Player Returns to Coach in Florida High School Football

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby:Lawrence Fernandez•about 15 hours•

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Leesburg Yellow Jackets - Florida High School Football
Leesburg defensive back Malekhi Stokes (9) carries a Yellow Jackets flag onto the field before a high school football game at Ponte Vedra on October 3, 2024. (© Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

A defensive end who played ten NFL seasons is back in Florida high school football as head coach. Kenard Lang announced via his X/Twitter account that he will take over the Leesburg High School football program.

Before taking that role, the former University of Miami standout was North Carolina Agricultural and Technical’s defensive line coach. However, as the Orlando Sentinel’s Chris Hays wrote, Lang’s return to Central Florida is personal. Being based in Leesburg makes it easier for him to visit his parents, who live in Apopka.

The Yellow Jackets hope Lang will stay for the long term because they’ve had four coaches in as many seasons. Mark Oates coached them for six years (2016-22) before taking over North Carolina’s Union Spartans. Steven Moffett replaced Oates but lasted only a year before moving to The First Academy.

Meanwhile, Lang replaced Frank Scott, who went 6-5 in his lone season with Leesburg. Under Scott, the Yellow Jackets lost to the Vanguard Knights in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

After Lang’s playing stint with the Hurricanes, the then-Washington Redskins selected him in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played for five seasons with the Redskins before signing with the Cleveland Browns. Lang also suited up for the Denver Broncos before ending his pro football career in 2007.

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He finished his playing career with 453 tackles, 50 sacks, 28 passes defended, and 13 forced fumbles in 153 games. Lang also appeared in three playoff games, tallying six tackles, two pass deflections, and a sack.

Kenard Lang’s Florida high school football coaching history

Lang started coaching Florida high school football for the Jones Fightin’ Tigers a year after retiring from the NFL. He transformed a team that had been 1-7 the previous season into a playoff contender with a 7-4 record. Lang mentored the Fightin’ Tigers until 2012, finishing with a 32-27 record.

A year later, he took over the Wekiva Mustangs football program. He held that job for three seasons, tallying a 19-12 record. Under Lang’s guidance, the Mustangs went 8-3 in 2014, including a 5-1 record in conference play.

Kenard Lang moved to the Evans Trojans in 2016 and compiled a 20-48 record in six seasons. His best record at Evans was 5-5 in 2019. After his stint with the Trojans, Lang left Florida High School football for North Carolina A&T under coach Vincent Brown.

Lang will take over a Leesburg team ranked 169th in the Florida On3 Composite Team Rankings.