All-Century Team Coach Gene Cox passes away at 74
FHSAA All-Century Football Team coach Gene Cox died Monday evening at age 74.
Cox became the winningest coach in Florida high school football history in 1987, and held the record until surpassed by Corky Rogers of Bolles (Jacksonville) in 2004. He is currently fourth on the all-time list. Cox was the head football coach and athletic director for 38 years at Jefferson County (Monticello) (1958-60), Suwannee (Live Oak) (1961-62), Leon (Tallahassee) (1963-1990), and Aucilla Christian (Monticello) (1991-1995).
The Lake City native was the first Florida coach to win more than 300 games, with a career record of 313-100-5. Cox won two state championships (1969 and 1974), was runner-up twice (1972 and 1975), and coached nine undefeated and untied regular seasons. He had winning streaks of 16, 19 and 25.
Cox produced four Florida Prep Players of the Year and 12 high school All-Americans. He was named Florida Coach of the Year six times, and in 1985 was chosen as the first Florida/Georgia all-star coach (Florida won, 23-7). More than 200 of his players earned scholarships, with about 90 percent graduating from college.
He was inducted into six halls of fame: FACA, Florida High School Athletics, Florida Sports, Leon High School, Suwannee High School, and Tallahassee Area. In 1997, the Tallahassee Sports Commission, the Leon County School Board and the Leon County Commission renamed Capital Stadium to Gene Cox Stadium.
Cox served as president of FACA and has been given credit for starting the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in North Florida.
Cox is survived by his wife, Patsy; four children; and five grandchildren. The funeral will be held Saturday, April 4, at 2 p.m. at Bradfordville First Baptist Church (6494 Thomasville Road) in Tallahassee, with burial to follow at Tallahassee Memory Gardens on Highway 27 North.
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