Inlet Grove football parts ways with head coach Alphonso Smith

RIVIERA BEACH — The Alphonso Smith era at Inlet Grove has come to an end after less than a year at the helm of the Hurricanes.

Smith said that he and administration at Inlet Grove "mutually agreed" that the former NFL cornerback and soon-to-be Wake Forest Hall of Fame inductee would no longer serve as head coach of the charter school's football program.

Inlet Grove athletic director Hakeem Banks said that the decision was "nothing football related" and voiced his desire to bring in "someone who can carry on what [Smith] started."

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"He did a great job as a coach and I can't bring in someone that's going to regress from that. I need someone that's going to take us to that next level and build on what he's already started," Banks said.

It was Smith's second stint as a head coach in Palm Beach County since serving his alma mater Pahokee in 2015.

The Blue Devils finished 8-2 and won a district title in Smith's lone season as head coach. He was removed from the position in November 2015 due to an investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct.

Smith was commissioned to revive the Hurricanes last April after Inlet Grove opted not to field a football team for the 2020 season.

"We built it from the ground up – zero kids – every kid you saw came over for me, so it's hard," Smith said, his voice pained by making the decision to explore an undisclosed opportunity that he "couldn't refuse."

Inlet Grove finished 3-7 in its first season back on the field, but is tapped to return approximately 21 juniors to continue the rebuilding process.

Although Smith was emotional about his departure, he voiced his intention to help Banks and administration with the hiring of Inlet Grove's next head coach, hoping to give those who came to play for him the best opportunity possible in the future.

"We're back," Banks said, having no plans of dismantling the football team despite its thirteenth losing season since 2004 – posting a record best 7-4 in 2008.

Inlet Grove has already listed the job posting on Indeed, "urgently hiring" for the position ahead of spring football.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Inlet Grove football parts ways with head coach Alphonso Smith