Breaking: Josh Phillips steps down after one season as head football coach at Sarasota (Florida)

Phillips went 1-9 in his only season as the Sailors’ lead man

After one season at the helm at Sarasota High School, Josh Phillips is moving on to the collegiate level. 

According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Dennis Maffezzoli on Monday evening, Phillips announced he is stepping down as the Sailors’ head football coach to accept a position on the college level. 

Phillips, who was previously the defensive coordinator at Manatee High School, in his only season at Sarasota went 1-9 this past 2023 campaign. 

The only win under Phillips came back on Oct. 20 in a 25-6 victory over Southeast, whom also had a head coaching vacancy before tabbing former Braden River head coach Curt Bradley to the position. 

“I expect to win and I expect to compete,” Phillips said back in the spring after taking the Sarasota job. “We play a tough schedule in 2023. There are some teams around here making a lot of noise that don’t play anyone. People that really know high school football know who has talent down here. That’s why the FHSAA had to start involving rankings and strength of schedule in their formula for who makes the playoffs. Who you play matters. But I expect us to build on what was done last year and take it to the next level. They won a playoff game last year and I hope to see us make a deep playoff run.”