Gonzales looks towards college football, coaching in the future
Cole Gonzales, 18, a senior, the quarterback for the Trinity Catholic Celtics, poses for a photo on the field at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.
Cole Gonzales, 18, a senior, the quarterback for the Trinity Catholic Celtics, poses for a photo on the field at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.
“I was born in Salt Lake City, where my dad was an assistant coach for the University of Utah,” Gonzales said. “Dad has coached at a few schools, so we moved a lot when I was growing up.”
Cole’s dad, Billy Gonzales, is a long-time college football assistant who currently serves as the wide receivers coach for the Florida Gators.
Stops at Utah, the University of Illinois, Mississippi State University, LSU in Baton Rouge, and back in Gainesville for a second coaching stint have provided the younger Gonzales with an insider’s view of the world of coaching.
“I would like to follow in my dad’s footsteps and become a coach when my playing days are over,” Gonzales said. “My dad has been a coach my whole life, and I think I’d like to do that when the time comes.”
Gonzales was an offensive leader for the Celtics with his passing and running ability. During the 2021 season, Gonzales threw for 932 yards and 9 touchdowns, while also rushing for 668 yards and 5 scores. His dual-threat ability helped lead Trinity Catholic reach the regional finals of the FHSAA 3A playoffs.
And if the Celtics needed to punt, no problem. Gonzales also averaged 42.3 yards per boot.
While the Celtics season has come to an end, there’s still plenty of football left to be played for Gonzales.
Gonzales has attracted the attention of multiple college football programs. Samford University in Alabama, Kent State University in Ohio, and UT-Martin in Tennessee have expressed interest in offering a football scholarship.
An outstanding student, Gonzales currently carries a 3.6 overall GPA, and just earned all A’s to start his senior year.
Gonzales thanks Celtics head football coach John Brantley for rolling the dice on him.
“Coach Brantley took a chance on me,” Gonzales said. “He gave me a shot and I can’t thank him enough for that.”
Brantley reciprocated the sentiment.
“Cole took a chance on coming here,” Brantley said. “Cole wanted to be a part of a good program and he knew how I ran our program. We didn’t have the ending we hoped for, but we accomplished a lot.”
Gonzales heaps praise and appreciation onto his mom and dad, as well.
“I can’t thank them enough for the sacrifices they’ve made,” he said. “My dad watches film with me, and my mom has been so supportive every day.”
If the coaching plans fall through, Gonzales has some career ideas he would like to pursue.
“I think I would like to work in orthodontics,” he said. “Or win the lottery!”
Winning in the classroom and on the field are things that Gonzales has become accustomed to.
He probably won’t need that lottery ticket.
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