Detroit, MI—The Detroit Lions have named Tyrone Spencer of Detroit Martin Luther King Jr. High School the 2022 Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Year. Spencer’s Crusaders defeated the Muskegon Big Reds 56-27 to win the MHSAA Division 3 state championship, their 2nd Division 3 state championship in a row. The Crusaders, from the Detroit Public School League, finished the season 10-3, outscoring their opponents 503-224.
Spencer concluded his 13th year coaching high school football and 7th season overall as a head coach at King, compiling a 75-17 (81.5%) record. As head coach, Spencer has won 4 MHSAA State Championships—a Division 2 State Championship in 2016 and Division 3 State Championships in 2018, 2021 and 2022. He also led the Crusaders to a state runner up appearance in 2019, a state semi-finals appearance in 2017 and a regional finals appearance in 2020. Overall, Spencer has a 30-3 (90.9%) playoff record. Spencer, a 2003 King graduate, spent 5 years as an assistant coach at King prior taking over as head coach of the Crusaders, also winning a MHSAA Division 2 State Championship in 2015.
Spencer was notified of his Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Year selection on Head Coach Hangout. See his reaction and the entire interview by visiting www.DetroitLions.com/coachoftheyear
High School Football Coach of the Week/Year Program
Each week throughout the 2022 high school football regular season, one coach that best demonstrates success on and off the field, develops players’ character, discipline, and football skill in addition to emphasizing player health and safety in their program, is recognized for his commitment to the team, school, and community. Each Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Week during the regular season received a $1,000 donation to his school’s football program.
For his 2022 Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Year award, Spencer was selected by a panel of high school football media members—Mick McCabe (Detroit Free Press), Hugh Bernreuter (Saginaw News), Bret Bakita (WOOD Radio-106.9 FM, 96.1 FM- The Game, Fox 17/Grand Rapids), James Cook (Traverse City Record-Eagle) and Scott DeCamp (CatchMark SportsNet) and one vote from the public online voting at DetroitLions.com. Spencer will receive a $3,000 donation to his school’s football program and will be honored as the Detroit Lions nominee for the Don Shula NFL High School Football Coach of the Year.
Concluding its’ 26th year, the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week/Year program awarded $12,000 to aid in the development and promotion of high school football in the state of Michigan, while the overall program has awarded $491,000 to high school football programs throughout the state of Michigan.
All-Time Coach of the Year recipients:
1997–John Herrington, Farmington Hills Harrison, 1998–Thomas Mach, Detroit Catholic Central, 1999–Don Durrett, Saginaw, 2000–Herb Brogan, Jackson Lumen Christi, 2001–John Schwartz, Mendon, 2002–Mike Boyd, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, 2003–Scot Shaw, Three Rivers, 2004–Noel Dean, Lowell, 2005–Jack Pratt, Flint Powers, 2006–Tony Annese, Muskegon, 2007–Jim Reynolds, Detroit Martin Luther King, 2008–Peter Stuursma. East Grand Rapids, 2009–Rich Hulkow, Marshall, 2010–Chris Bell, Lake Orion, 2011–Thomas Wilcher, Detroit Cass Tech, 2012–Terry Hessbrook, Ithaca, 2013–Kurt Richardson, Clarkston, 2014–Dan Rohn, Grand Rapids West Catholic, 2015–John Shillito, Zeeland West, 2016–Elliot Uzelac, Benton Harbor, 2017–Mike Giannone, Warren De La Salle, 2018–Rick Bailey, Reading, 2019–Jim Ahern, Lansing Catholic, 2020–Rob Zimmerman, DeWitt, 2021–Josh Lucas, Chelsea, 2022–Tyrone Spencer, Detroit Martin Luther King
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