Braden River High names new football coach. He played with a Heisman Trophy winner
Braden River High School wasted little time finding its next head football coach.
The Pirates announced Jason Grain, who previously was an assistant at Sarasota Booker and head coach at Cape Coral Oasis, as the program’s head coach.
In December, longtime head coach Curt Bradley left the program to become Southeast High’s head coach. The Pirates made offensive coordinator and associate head coach Eric Sanders the team’s head coach. Sanders, though, left the program in May after Braden River’s spring game to become Palmetto High’s head coach.
Tigers head coach Rashad West resigned in March.
Grain played college football at the University of Southern California, where he was an offensive lineman blocking for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Carson Palmer. Grain played in the Rose Bowl and Sun Bowl in two seasons with the Trojans, and received a free-agent contract with the Miami Dolphins in 2000.
Grain’s coaching career started in 2012 as an offensive line coach with Booker. His most recent coaching stint was as the head coach with Oasis, leading the Cape Coral school to its most successful season in 2023 when they won seven games.
“We are incredibly happy to welcome Coach Grain to Braden River,” Braden River athletic director Matt Nesser said in a news release. “He has been a successful head coach, has recruiting contacts, played at the highest level in college and has a passion for football. Most importantly, he will diligently serve and mentor our students through their high school journey.”
According to a news release, Grain met with Braden River players Wednesday morning. Offseason summer workouts are underway for high school football teams.
This story was originally published June 5, 2024 at 10:22 AM.
