By Sports Editor Brian Hoffman
The Washington Commanders have chosen William Byrd High School
football coach Brad Lutz as the team’s nominee for the 2023 Don Shula High
School Coach of the Year Award. The league-wide award recognizes high school
football coaches who display the integrity, achievement, and leadership qualities
exemplified by Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history.
Lutz has been the head coach of Byrd’s football program for five years,
where he led the Terriers to a 12-2 record in 2023 and oversaw a district
championship and the first regional championship in school history. Coach Lutz’s
impact on William Byrd’s football program is evidenced by the team record and
increased participation over the past five years.
Lutz has a deep respect for the values of the military, which are
incorporated into the football program. Several coaches are veterans and the team
operates an accountability system modeled after a platoon in the military. At the
beginning of each summer, the team creates summer platoons named and modeled
after those of our service branches. Each week, players can earn points for their
platoon by attending workouts and winning competitive drills and competitions. Lutz believes this system brings the team closer together and helps identify
players with leadership qualities.
Lutz has brought a “soldier tribute” tradition to each program he has
worked with in his tenure as a football coach. In September 2004, Coach Lutz lost
one of his close friends and high school teammate who was killed by an IED
while serving in Iraq. He continues to share the story of his friend’s commitment
to his teammates on the field and his sacrifice to his country.
Understanding the loss that a local community faces in these instances,
Coach Lutz learned that the William Byrd community had also lost a football
alumnus in combat. This tradition, which emphasizes sacrifice and comradery,
contributes to how Coach Lutz builds a strong foundation that includes selfless
service and respect within the football program. Each week, the team plays in
honor of a soldier who lost their life in the line of duty, and the team continues to wear special game uniforms honoring the different branches of our military, with
2023’s season being inspired by the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC.
Lutz firmly believes that football is the greatest sport in the world, with
benefits for participants that continue throughout one’s life. Off the field, Coach
Lutz is a special education teacher and works with many students with physical
and/or learning disabilities. Many of his students love sports but have physical
limitations preventing them from competitive play. As a result, he encourages
these students to join the program as student managers, providing them with an
opportunity to be a part of the team and experience the thrill of football. The
players have embraced these students and recognize everyone as key members of
the team.
“We at William Byrd High School have long known how great of a coach
and leader Brad Lutz is, and we’re proud that he’s now being recognized by the
Washington Commanders and the NFL for his accomplishments,” said William
Byrd Athletic Director Jason Taylor. “Coach Lutz recognizes the value football
brings to players, other students, and the community as a whole. He also
emphasizes the importance of academics to his players, as evidenced by the
team’s collective 3.2 GPA.”
The High School Coach of the Week Program, sponsored by Clark
Construction, is an NFL initiative that aims to highlight local high school football
coaches who consistently demonstrate a dedication to their programs, their
players’ health and safety, and to making a difference in their community. As a
nominee, Coach Lutz will receive a $2,000 personal award and an additional
$2,000 for his high school football program.
An expert panel will review each NFL clubs’ nominees and select an
award winner from each conference. The winners will be announced by the NFL
in the coming days and will receive an all-expenses paid trip to both the 2024 Pro
Bowl Games in Orlando, Florida and Super Bowl in Las Vegas. In addition, the
winners will each receive $15,000 each for their school’s football programs and a
$10,000 personal award.
2023 Washington Commanders High School Football Coach of the Week
Award Nominees:
- Week 1: Coach Dameon Powell – Charles Herbert Flowers High School (Prince
George’s County, MD) - Week 2: Coach Brad Lutz – William Byrd High School (Roanoke County, VA)
- Week 3: Coach James May – Page County High School (Page County, VA)
- Week 4: Coach Akiel Russell – Springbrook High School (Montgomery County,
MD) - Week 5: Coach Jack Baker – Nelson County High School (Nelson County, VA)
- Week 6: Coach Ray Norcross – Riverheads High School (Augusta County, VA)
- Week 7: Coach Ian Hale – Suitland High School (Prince George's County, MD)
- Week 8: Coach Mark Teague – Manassas Park High School (Manassas Park City,
VA) - Week 9: Coach Scott Turner – Turner Ashby High School (Rockingham County,
VA) - Week 10: Coach Daniel Tyson – Bell Multicultural High School (Washington,
DC)
