Flanagan Names Stanford Samuels Head Coach

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The Dirty Birds have their leader.

SFHSSports learned Tuesday evening that Flanagan promoted former defensive coordinator Stanford Samuels Jr. to the role of head coach effective immediately.

Samuels, a former Miami Carol City standout and Florida State University defensive back, coached alongside former head coach Devin Bush during his time with the Falcons before Bush was hired as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan.

Flanagan athletic director Albert Guzzo said that Samuels was the right man for the job.

"He had a great interview," Guzzo told the Sentinel. "He knows the system. He's been with Coach [Devin] Bush for many years. He knows Bush's vision for the program and he wants to keep it going."

Shortly after Bush – along with Bush's son linebacker Devin Jr. and safeties Devin Gil and Josh Metellus – went to Ann Arbor, chatter began saying that Samuels would be given the reigns of the program that had just won its first football state title.

The "Dirty Birds" enjoyed their best season ever – going 12-2 before taking down Kissimmee Osceola 26-7 this past December to win the Class 8A crown – riding the performance of its staunch defense.

Samuels takes over a program that many think will be on a bit of a rebuild, but the Falcons' cupboard isn't completely bare. The main returning piece is Samuels' son and defensive back Stanford Samuels III.

Rated among the top three prospects in the Class of 2017, Samuels III spent time at quarterback for Flanagan this during the 2015 season when starter Kato Nelson recovered from knee surgery.

"It's a great feeling," Samuels told reporters. "Devin did a great job preparing me for this opportunity. He gave me a lot of responsibilities over the past three years. It should be a seamless transition."