Tallahassee Treasure Uncovered!

Faith, Courage & Conviction

I was doing some research about a Tallahassee Legend, Gene Cox, and was surprised that not much existed about him on the Internet. Sure, if you google "Gene Cox", plenty shows up based upon the fact that we named our local football stadium Gene Cox Stadium. However, with over 300 wins as a high school football coach, entry into every conceivable Hall of Fame, and the love and respect from the hundreds of kids that played for him, I figured there would be a trove of information out there. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

I am neither a great writer, nor a proficient historian, but I was determined to find or place some type of record or history of Gene Cox on the internet. After linking through hundreds of sites, I found exactly what I was looking for. A close friend of his, Jim Joanos, wrote a piece for the Seminole Boosters titled Mr. High School Football, which gives a brief history of Gene Cox and his All-time winningest career.

The article by Judge Joanos serves as a great starting point to learn about Coach Cox, and if you want a great insight into the man, Gene Cox, I highly recommend you read a book he authored, Go Big Red!, A History Of Leon High School Football. I believe it is available in the Leon County Public Library as well as the Leon High School Library, or you can Purchase Go Big Red! (if supplies are available). As a former player of his, I can see plenty of his powerful personality coming through in his writing.

Judge Joanos described Gene Cox as "tough as nails," which I doubt any of his opponents would ever dispute. Coach Cox's record, both off and on the football field, is one that will not be matched by many, if any at all. And finally, going back to the "subject line," those Three Words best Describe my image of Gene Cox.

• Faith - Gene Cox let everybody around him know that he was a Christian first, a husband and father second, and a football coach third.
• Courage - Coach Cox was not afraid to try something new. If his personnel called for a running offense, then so-be-it. He would install the wishbone, or the Wing T; if passing, then the Pro Style or Run-and-Shoot. Gene Cox had the courage to risk failure, and that is why he won.
• Conviction - When everybody questioned his methodology, his record, his success, Coach Cox did what he felt was right. He would not bow to public opinion, nor did he apologize for winning!