Monday is Mark Brunell’s first day as head football coach at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville, and he tells WOKV he’s thrilled and nervous at the same time.
The former Jaguars quarterback says the job is “a perfect fit” because he and his family get to stay in the city they call home, and he gets to coach the game he loves.
“I’m a little nervous too…It’ll be a whole new experience for me, but I can’t wait,” Brunell says.
Last year he was the quarterback coach for the Providence School, but Monday begins his first job ever as head coach. And Brunell says his new job is not just about coaching. He says his duties include scheduling, building a staff, working with the parents, and working with the board and the boosters.
“While we have a lot of work to do in the record department, and that will come, it’s still gonna be a challenge,” he says. “But we’re gonna make a go out of it.”
He’s wasting no time. Even though training camp begins in August, he says the players will start hitting the weight room this month.
“I do believe that the harder you work in January and February, the more success you have when the season comes,” Brunell says.
And even though the team’s recent records haven’t been great, Brunell says he’s excited to coach a “bunch of kids that love football” and are excited to get on the football field.
And unlike the NFL and college ball where winning is the number one priority, Brunell says academics come first in high school.
“My goal is for our boys that play football to do well academically,” he says. “And of course we want to win, and so both of those are very important to me.”
Brunell replaces coach David Hess, who resigned after eight seasons and following Episcopal’s 3-6 record.
Brunell was first drafted by Green Bay in 1993 out of Washington. He became the Jaguars quarterback in 1995 and stayed with the team until 2003. During that time he made three Pro Bowls and led the team to a pair of AFC Championship game appearance. He retired in 2011 after playing with the New York Jets.
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