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Durant Scores Coup: Gains 2 Former Raiders Coaches

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By DAREK SHARP

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 6, 2008

PLANT CITY - The Plant City-Durant high school football rivalry does not want for intrigue, but it will have a little extra this season.

That's thanks to a pair of two new assistant coaches on the Durant staff, one of whom just happens to be Kevin Kelley, Plant City's head coach the past two seasons until stepping down for personal reasons, Kelley is back in the game and will lead the Cougar linebackers and special teams.

Also joining Durant's staff is former Raider defensive coordinator Laykeye Cooper, who was Plant City High's quarterback in his playing days.

The coach Kelley took over for at Plant City High in 2006, Todd Long, had something to do with Kelley going to Durant.

"When he stepped down, he said he was taking some time off. I talked to him a few times after that," Durant head coach Mike Gottman said. "He went fishing one day with Todd Long and not long after, we had an opening here, and I called Coach Kelley. And we got him on board."

Long is an administrator at Durant - the job he left Plant City High for. Kelley also will teach at Durant.

Cooper will coach the Cougars wide receivers.

"He has good experience on both sides of the ball now, so he'll be a good addition," Gottman said.

Plant City's new head coach is Jason Strunk. He and the Raiders will be traveling to Durant for what should be an explosive season opener.

Naturally, Kelley's presence as a Durant coach will make things more interesting.

"He's fired up about that. ... I'm pretty sure he's marked his calendar for that game," Gottman said.

Kelley, who led the Raiders to consecutive playoff appearances, couldn't be reached for comment. Last season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers honored Kelley as high school coach of the week after the Raiders defeated Blake 14-7 for the team's seventh-straight regular season victory.

The season opener at Durant is Sept. 5.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampatrib.com.

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