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Former Cocoa Tigers Head Football Coach Ryan Schneider Named Head Coach at MCC

By  //  February 3, 2026

Coach Schneider had an overall record of 82–23 at Cocoa

Ryan Schneider announced on his social media channels Tuesday evening that he will be the new head football coach for the Melbourne Central Catholic Hustlers. The move has sent shock waves throughout Brevard County, as the state-championship-winning coach looks to bring another Brevard County team to glory.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA –  Ryan Schneider announced on his social media channels Tuesday evening that he will be the new head football coach for the Melbourne Central Catholic Hustlers. The move has sent shock waves throughout Brevard County, as the state-championship-winning coach looks to bring another Brevard County team to glory.

Former Cocoa Tigers head football coach Ryan Schneider will be heading back to a familiar place at MCC. Coach Schneider previously served as the Hustlers’ offensive coordinator before becoming the head football coach for the Cocoa Tigers. After eight seasons—never missing a Final Four appearance and winning three state championships (2022, 2023, 2024)—Schneider is now looking to rebuild the MCC program.

Melbourne Central Catholic football has seen success and is notorious for making the playoffs. However, the Hustlers have not been able to get over the hump, as losses in the first and second rounds have plagued them.

Over the last 10 seasons, MCC has made the playoffs in eight of them, and the last time the Hustlers reached a regional final was 10 seasons ago, in 2016. Coach Schneider was able to sustain and build upon the success John Wilkinson established during his time as head football coach of the Cocoa Tigers, and now he will attempt to rebuild the Hustlers into a state championship contender.

The average viewer could say the Cocoa Tigers still had a solid season, considering they returned to the state Final Four—a feat they have accomplished for two decades in a row. However, this season was not as glamorous as those of the past.

It started with hope, as Cocoa defeated Bradford in the Kickoff Classic. It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was a victory against a quality opponent.

In Week 1, the Tigers had to come from behind to escape with an overtime win over the Merritt Island Mustangs. That game raised questions about whether Merritt Island’s talent had caught up to Cocoa or if it was an early sign the Tigers might be having a “down year.”

After a home loss to Mainland and a thrashing on the road at Vero Beach, parents and fans began to grow concerned about what type of season the Tigers were in for. Cocoa got back on track with a 37-0 shutout of Heritage, but two more difficult opponents loomed.

The Eau Gallie Commodores came into Tiger Stadium and ended Cocoa’s 27-game in-county winning streak, which had spanned seven seasons. After dropping that game to Eau Gallie, the Tigers had to travel south to face a talented Norland squad. Although the game was called before it was over, Norland had control throughout.

At 2-4, the Tigers’ odds of making the playoffs did not look great, and the team was clearly feeling the pressure. Coach Schneider was able to rally the troops, and when it mattered most, the Tigers responded—rattling off three straight dominant victories to reach the playoffs at 5-4.

While there was still plenty of work to do to have a chance at winning their fourth straight title, Cocoa had earned a playoff berth and received the No. 3 seed in its bracket.

After breezing past Newberry, Calvary Christian gave Cocoa all it could handle, pushing the Tigers to overtime. Cocoa prevailed 34-33 and advanced to the regional final, where it would once again face Bradford.

Bradford, seeking revenge for losses in the 2022 state championship and the Kickoff Classic just months earlier, had its sights set on the Final Four. However, Cocoa’s winning pedigree and culture lifted the Tigers past Bradford once again, 17-10.

Reaching the state semifinals was an impressive accomplishment given the season Cocoa endured.

That is where the road ended, though. Cocoa’s quest for a “four-peat” was halted by Cardinal Mooney, which went on to win the state championship and finish as the No. 6-ranked team in Florida.

Despite not winning it all, it was still a successful season for the Tigers, Coach Schneider, and his staff.

Now, Coach Schneider will look to build another Hall of Fame coaching career—this time with the MCC Hustlers.