The Cleveland Browns are proud to recognize and congratulate 10 high school football coaches from Northeast Ohio who have been nominated for the 2025 Cleveland Browns High School Coach of the Year!
This award celebrates leadership, character and the positive impact coaches make on their teams and communities—not just wins and losses. Each nominee was featured in the Browns High School Game of the Week program during the 2025 season.
The Coach of the Year will be announced on Dec. 18 and will receive $6,000 in funding for their high school football program. The winner will also be honored on-field during pregame of the Browns vs. Bills game on Dec. 21.
Name: Matt Rosati
School: Grand Valley
"Every day you either get better or you get worse-as a person, student, player, you name it. I tell the kids that I have coached that if they ever see me yell at an official, then they can too. If they ever hear me swear, they can too. If they ever hear me disrespect another coach or player, then they can do the same. It will never happen – so we will never do it. It is my job to be the best role model I can be on and off the field, I have prided myself on that for 38 years and that will never change."
Name: Bryan Morgan
School: North Ridgeville
"Athletics are a great way to understand how life works. You need to strive to be the best on and off the field. This only happens when you follow through with great character and treat others with respect. As a leader, I need to give them the blueprint on how to win in life both in what I say and how I carry myself. I strive to be an example to follow and someone who can offer guidance and support. Seeing athletes graduate and become successful in life gives me satisfaction of the hours spent guiding them to become something more important than athletes-their own identity as a person. I tell our seniors after their last game as a Ranger that they have this program, and more importantly, myself, for the rest of their lives."
Name: Justin Todd
School: Wadsworth
"The real payoff is the relationships. It's the conversations in the weight room, the moments after practice, the texts years later from former players who tell me something they learned here helped them in college or in their career. Coaching is a chance to impact lives, and that impact lasts longer than any scoreboard. My reward is knowing the work we put in helps shape better husbands, fathers, leaders and community members. That is what makes every hour worth it. Molding boys into young men of high character whom the school, community and alumni can rally behind and be proud of is my definitive goal as a coach. While championships and victories are celebrated, the true heart of our program lies in the young men we mentor, the values we instill and the community we serve."
Name: Pat Youel
School: Southeast
"As a coach, developing relationships with student athletes allows the opportunity to have a tremendous impact on the player to positively change their life. Wins, losses and championships come and go, but being a positive part of a student-athlete's life can last forever. The overriding goal of our entire program is to be a part of something bigger than yourself."
Name: Matt Duffy
School: Willoughby South
"My personal reward for coaching is being able to experience the growth of my players and witness everything they achieve. I am thoroughly committed to being an example for my athletes to follow; someone who is honest, gives one hundred percent and does what is right. I hope what each of my players take away from this program is a passion for the game, hard work in all they do and the persistence to never give up and keep striving to be the best version of themselves."
Name: Anthony Carbone
School: Rhodes
"I hope that my players learn the greatest lesson I've ever learned in football: do things right. There is no corner cutting in success. Doing things right means doing the right thing. Be with the right people, at the right time, doing the right thing. That principle applies on the football field as well as in these young men's lives. I have learned that a team can become a family and a brotherhood, and how the strong bonds can bring people together accomplish something bigger than themselves."
Name: Ben Malbasa
School: University School
"My goal is for each player to gain lifelong relationships with teammates, a deep belief in the power of a team and recognition of all that is possible when individuals commit to pursue excellence together. Through lifelong relationships with former players, I see the tremendous purpose and impact of the sport, and I am deeply grateful for the connections I developed through football. Seeing former players leading and serving in their communities or becoming successful in their careers or families is my most meaningful achievement."
Name: Renzy Parnell
School: Canton McKinley
"The foundation of our program is love and high character, and I hope to leave behind a legacy that reflect that. I want to be known as someone that impacted athletes lives by believing in them and helping them reach their fullest potential. I want to teach my athletes that life and football go hand in hand, and that the sport helps prepare you for many of life's challenges. I want to prepare my athletes for adversity and instill the mindset that it is how you respond to adversity that counts. The greatest reward I receive from coaching is the growth and success I get to witness of the players I once coached throughout their life.
Name: Jeff Grubich
School: Kenston
"The most important competition is not between you and the opposing team or you and your teammates; it is the constant battle everyday to push yourself to continuously improve. Football teaches players how to be apart of and contribute to a team, uniting all players together, completing individual work for one joined cause. Football may be just a game, but it teaches the attributes needed to be successful in life."
Name: Andrew Saris
School: Lexington
"I don't see competitive success and personal growth as two separate lanes; they go hand in hand. When a kid learns discipline, accountability, toughness and how to push through adversity, he becomes a better player and person. Every long practice, early morning, tough conversation is worth it when a player buys into the process, pushes himself and comes out stronger on the other side. The same habits that help you win on a Friday night are the habits that help you win in life. The lessons taught of hard work, discipline, teamwork and the value of character make every hour invested meaningful. Beyond football, I strive to instill values into players that carry into adulthood: young men who graduate, give back and lead in the community while holding themselves to a higher standard."
