Baker football's Matt Brunson set to be enshrined in FHSAA HOF
· Yahoo Sports
BAKER — It's funny to think of Baker football coach Matt Brunson as an accountant.
But there he was in the late '80s at Troy State University taking accounting classes at the behest of his mom, who saw a son gifted at math and wanted the same comfortable future of the family's accountant.
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"Our accountant had a house on the water in Milton," Brunson said. "That was a big deal."
In the end, of course, his heart sought out a different career path on the gridiron. He's proceeded to change the course of high school football success in Okaloosa County, and now he's set to be enshrined in the FHSAA Hall of Fame in September.
"Being a Baker Gator has kind of defined my life, and I'm grateful to everyone who's allowed me to run this program and build this culture to my best ability," he said.
With the appearance of a 40-year-old, Brunson remaining in peak shape as a reminder to his players that state titles are won in the weight room, Brunson's resume is peerless in Okaloosa County.
The man is 132-26 over 13 years at Baker, leading the Gators to a 27-14 win over Hawthorne at Doak Campbell Stadium for the 1A crown in 2020 to break a 25-year, state-title drought for Okaloosa County schools. That came four years after the Gators finished 14-0 after Pahokee vacated its state title and FHSAA recognized the Gators as state champs in the state program during its 2020 run.
If you include 2016, that's six state titles won by Brunson as a player, assistant coach and head coach. He was a member of the three-peat Gators from 1983-1985 that won 42 straight games, he was an assistant on the 1993 state championship Gators and then came the 14-0 runs in 2016 and 2020. Paired with leading Vernon and Crestview to improbable Final 4 runs and helping Troy State to a national title in 1987 as a player, Brunson's won everywhere he's been.
Added up, he's been a part of 14 region championships and eight trips to the state title during his 32 years in Okaloosa County.
But more than anything, Brunson would tell you he's most proud of instilling a winning culture at his alma mater that's molded thousands of young men through hard work in the weight room and success and discipline on and off the gridiron.
"I've tried to instill the same work ethic we had in the 1980s and early 90s," Brunson said. "When you have a blueprint like that, you know what works. We've been fortunate to build on that legacy."
Averaging more than 10 wins a season at Baker, he's not done. Baker's coming of a 12-1 run to the Elite 8, and Brunson is ready to build on the legacy come fall. Come September he'll be joined by his family in Gainesville for the FHSAA HOF induction ceremony.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Baker football coach Matt Brunson set to join 2026 FHSAA HOF class