Sanchez didn’t see football in his future just two years ago, but now he’s challenged himself to turn around a struggling program.
Courtesy of Max Steele | The Crow’s Nest
By Max Steele
Even during his record-breaking football career at the University of South Florida, Auggie Sanchez knew he wanted to become a head coach one day. That dream is now a reality for the 27-year-old, as Sanchez kicked off Seminole High School’s football season last month as the team’s new head coach.
The former linebacker, who leads USF in all-time career tackles, is excited for his new leadership role and looks to turn around a struggling football program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2005.
“Eighteen years of losing is something we cannot accept. We are in year zero and trying to build the foundation to a successful program for years to come,” Sanchez said. “We are bringing in structure and discipline. Everything I have ever got in life is on the backend of hard work. This won’t be any different.”
Sanchez knows all about hard work and perseverance.
After his accomplished football career as a player came to an end in 2017, the St. Petersburg native worked as a graduate-assistant coach at Florida State University and later USF, alongside former Bulls head coaches Willie Taggart and Charlie Strong. Sanchez’s dream was to become the head coach at USF one day.
But when USF hired coach Jeff Scott to replace Strong in 2020, Sanchez was among the many staff members let go and disappointedly told the Tampa Bay Times that he no longer planned to pursue his coaching aspirations.
When the Seminole position opened up this summer, Sanchez felt the urge to get back on the sideline. He ultimately decided his football journey was not quite over, but rather he’d begin writing a new chapter in his book.
The Northeast High School alumnus believes his experience as a collegiate player and coach will allow him to bring a nuanced perspective to his new job and will help create a needed bond between him and his players.
“I feel I can relate to them due to my age and having just been a player not too long ago. I have been at a level a lot of kids want to be at,” Sanchez said. “I believe I can use football as a tool to help kids.”
Sanchez considers sports vital to a young person’s life, as it helps them to stay in shape and keeps them off their phones and out of trouble.
“I think as a society we need to start pushing and understanding the importance of sports and physical activity again. Kids need it,” he said.
But don’t let that lead you to believe that Sanchez’s coaching style is all fun and games, as he uses the same intensity instilled in him by his coaches back at USF.
Seminole’s starting quarterback and team captain Colby Outlaw says his new coach is hard on the high school players, but he believes this to be a good thing.
“He really cares about the little things, whether it be keeping your locker clean or making sure the weight room is all picked up,” Outlaw said. “He knows it translates onto the field. It’s good for all of us because he expects the best on every play and rep.”
Outlaw believes that Sanchez is the right man for the job and has the skillset to help turn around the program.
“His experience as a player helps tremendously, because not only has he played at a high level, but he played recently, so he’s still very much in touch with the game,” Outlaw said. “He’s a great coach and knows what he’s talking about on both sides of the ball.”
The Seminole community feels the same, and Sanchez appreciates all the warm welcome and support he’s experience since walking through the front doors.
“The parents have been great. The kids have been great. This community is one of the biggest reasons I went after this job,” Sanchez said. “I loved being a player, I love being a coach.”
Sanchez hopes to make the Seminole community proud, and he knows that starts by winning football games.
“The objective every day is to find a way,” Sanchez said. “We won’t be making excuses. Don’t say you can’t do anything, go find a way to get it done.”
Seminole High is currently 1-2 this season, with a win against Dunedin and losses against Boca Ciega and Tarpon Springs. The team’s next game and first district matchup is against Countryside on Friday, Sept. 16 at home.
