Bradenton’s IMG Academy football team ranks among nation’s best. How to see them play
Entering the 2024 season, IMG Academy National head coach Billy Miller had not lost a football game in more than 700 days.
The Ascenders are ranked No. 3 in the country, according to MaxPreps. The preseason ranking is due to Miller’s teams’ success and the loaded roster at his disposal this year.
The roster is littered with top college recruits with their senior and junior class garnering several 4-star rankings, according to the 247 Sports’ composite.
To build team chemistry heading into 2024, Miller and his staff showed the players the Netflix documentary of the “Redeem Team,” — the 2008 United States Olympic men’s basketball team led by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade that captured the gold medal.
“We try to give them examples of how a team plays together that are successful,” said Miller, who is in his second season as IMG’s National head coach. “So teams that hold each other accountable. Just really coming together. We do a lot of team bonding stuff. These kids live with each other, so they’re really with each other 24 hours a day in everything they do whether it’s football practice, going to school or going back to meetings.”
Miller arrived at IMG in 2014, spending eight seasons as the Ascenders’ assistant head coach and special teams coordinator.
Talent everywhere
Since 2018, 21 former football players have been selected in the NFL Draft. And of the 180 college-committed players since 2020, more than 160 went to Division I schools.
This year’s team isn’t short on talent, either.
“That’s the big thing about IMG is everybody’s good, everybody can play at the next level and we’re all talented,” senior wide receiver Donovan Olugbode said.
Olugbode, who is in his third season, developed a rapport quickly with new quarterback Ty Hawkins.
Hawkins transferred to IMG Academy in July. He previously starred at Lady Bird Johnson High in San Antonio, Texas, where he threw for 4,260 passing yards with 54 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, according to MaxPreps.
“It was definitely a hard decision,” Hawkins said. “Just leaving San Antonio and leaving all the memories I made there, my friends and family. It was super hard, but I feel like IMG is the best decision for me because of the player development.”
Hawkins said he knew some of the receivers before transferring from playing 7 on 7 football. The team’s top recruit at the receiver position is Olugbode, who is a 247 Sports’ consensus 4-star committed to Missouri.
“He’s a dog,” said Hawkins, who is a SMU commit. “You can throw anything to him and he’ll go get it. He’s always open and he’s real good.”
Leading by example
Defensively, the team is stacked. Gavin Nix, an Orlando native committed to the University of Miami, leads the linebacker corps.
“It all starts with leading by example,” said Nix, who is in his third year at IMG Academy. “I can’t lead (anybody) else until I lead myself. For the guys that come in and are new, they’ve gotta have somebody to look up to, to really see what our standard is here at IMG Academy. And I feel like throughout the years with my hard work, I’ve been able to represent that. And through that, you get that kind of credibility through the other guys.”
IMG’s season began Thursday with a 35-34 loss at Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon. The Ascenders’ first home game is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. against Cocoa.
Home games are open to the public.
Tickets are available for purchase online or at the box office. Admission is $15.45 per ticket. Parking is free.
