This week, our ITG Next Florida “4 Questions with the Coach” guest is Don Chaney Sr., the head football coach at Belen Jesuit of Miami. We had the opportunity to ask the Wolverines head man about his team on several fronts, including the upcoming season, players returning, and how he plans to replace departing key pieces with returners from last year.
Q. Coach Chaney, you’ve been at Belen Jesuit for almost a decade now, first as an assistant and now as the head football coach. What are the accomplishments you’re most proud of since being named head coach of the Wolverines in 2019?
A. There have been so many. I think it’s really hard to narrow it down to one, especially with the relationships that I have built with the boys who have come through the program. But I would have to say winning the academic state championship two out of the three years that I’ve been the head coach is a big one.
Q. Coach, a lot of people surrounding the school as well as the football team were excited when it was announced that Belen Jesuit and Fairfield Prep of Connecticut had reached an agreement to play each other last season, a game your team won 15-14. Can you tell us how that game came about and if the two schools will be facing off again this upcoming season?
A. I wanted to start a national collaboration between Jesuit high schools competing and building relationships. The Fairfield trip was an amazing experience lead by Tommy de Quesada, aka DQ, our director of admissions who originally worked at Belen for two decades. He became Fairfield’s Principal for a few years, then returned to his roots. This year we will play Gonzaga Prep.
Q. Speaking of the win over Fairfield Prep, that was one of four wins in your first six games last season before ending the season on a bit of a rough stretch. After winning eight games in the prior season, would you say last year was a bit of a transition season?
A. I wouldn’t say that it was a transitional season. We played a highly competitive schedule, preparing ourselves for the South Florida football state series. A lot of successful growing pains came out of it, which should give us the momentum going into this year, very confident and competitive. Nothing is guaranteed in South Florida high school football. You have to earn every yard.
Q. If anything, you had some very talented guys who had a chance to gain some valuable experience, and now heading into the 2023 football season that group will be the nucleus of what promises to be as solid a group that you’ve had at Belen Jesuit. Returning players like five-star DL Davion Dixon will lead a very talented defensive group this season. Is it fair to say there will be big expectations this year?
A. Absolutely we have very high expectations for the program, which comes along with a lot of hard work. I think that we are up for the challenge and committed to getting the job done as a unit.
