West Orange football names new offensive coordinator

WINTER GARDEN  The offensive coordinator position at West Orange High wasn't open for very long.

Warriors head coach Bob Head confirmed on Thursday that Vernon Mitchell would be replacing Collin Drafts as the new offensive coordinator for West Orange. Drafts, the Warriors offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the past three years, recently took the head coach job at East River in east Orange County.

Mitchell comes to West Orange with more than a decade of experience at Freedom High and Boone High under head coach Andy Johnson. Mitchell played his college football at Florida A&M University and played professionally in the Canadian Football League, as well as the Arena Football League.

"(Mitchell is) one of the great coaches in the area — we've had a hard time preparing for him (in the past)," Head said, expressing excitement about the hire. "When I was a defensive coordinator for years, going against him, he made great adjustments."

Drafts started his high school career with Head while he was still the head coach at Olympia High. The two came over to Winter Garden together following the 2012 fall season and had great success, winning two district championships and advancing the program further than it had ever gone in the state playoffs this past season.

"I'm super excited for (Drafts)," Head said. "I hate to lose Collin — Collin has been my right-hand man for five years. We've won four district championships out of five years together. We've had a great partnership, but I knew the time was going to come. He's more than ready to be a head coach."

Drafts takes over a program that is in a bit of a rebuilding phase after going 1-9 in 2015.

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].