Before fans reach Hawthorne High School’s football field, they pass Cornelius Ingram Drive, a street named after the now former head coach who leaves behind a legacy of reviving the once failing program and the hopeful town around it.
The former Florida Gators tight end and two-time national champion resigned on January 15, without an official statement as to why, as the Hawthorne High School Hornets’ head football coach after 10 seasons.
Those close to Ingram say they believe his decision to resign was rooted in family. Ingram was able to coach his two sons, Kyler and CJ, at Hawthorne High. CJ is a freshman on the UF men’s basketball team now and Kyler just finished his last football season at Hawthorne with multiple scholarship offers.
Ingram did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
“It hurts because of how impactful he is,” Andrew Zock, a former player on Ingram’s 2023 Hawthorne championship team said. “Not in a feeling betrayed way, there could never be that feeling because of everything he’s done for the place. People just didn’t want to lose him.”
But Ingram did more than just rebuild the Hawthorne football program. He reshaped a town and changed lives. Former players, colleagues and community members consistently describe him the same way: A coach who led with humility.
“He’s one of the most selfless people I’ve met. He’s always willing to take the coat off his back and give it to somebody,” Dustin Adkins, Hawthorne’s defensive coordinator and athletic director from 2016 to 2024, said. “He doesn’t do it for the praise or the accolades. He just does it for the love of the game and the love of the youth that he works with.”
Daniel Ferguson, the principal of Hawthorne High from 2017 to 2022, echoed that sentiment.
“He’s a winner, but what stands out most is his humility,” Ferguson said. “He leads with his heart, and people gravitate toward him because they know he genuinely cares.”
Ingram leaves this position as the most decorated coach in Alachua County history. In 10 seasons, he compiled a record of 104 victories and 22 losses and won three state championships.
“Everyone’s so grateful for all he’s done but as always, there’s some sadness,” Adkins said. “Not disappointment, but just sadness that an era might be over. It’s hard to imagine another coach having that level of sustained success at Hawthorne.”
Ingram grew up in Hawthorne, a town of about 1,500 residents. As a two-sport star at Hawthorne, he earned scholarship offers in both football and basketball programs around the country. Adkins and Ingram were teammates at Hawthorne, graduating a year apart in 2005 and 2004 respectively.
“I've known Cornelius for years. I remember picking him up in the mornings for school and going practice together. He was the one who showed us it was possible,” Adkins said. “Growing up, people didn’t think you could go play college sports from Hawthorne. He inspired a lot of us to keep pushing.”
Ingram took his talents to the University of Florida, where he won two SEC titles and two BCS National Championships in 2006 and 2008 with the Gators football program. He also spent one season as a walk-on with the Gators men’s basketball team.
Drafted in the fifth round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009, Ingram saw his professional career end after tearing his ACL during rookie training camp. He returned home in 2016 to coach at his alma mater.
To fully appreciate Ingram’s legacy, you have to understand the scenario he walked into. When Ingram returned to Hawthorne, the school was on the brink of shutting down. Most coaches need to grow a program when they step in, but Ingram had to not just hold the program together, but also an entire community.
“And at the time, we needed to save the school, and he was a big reason for our success. He understood the assignment and put his blood, sweat and tears into helping the school—not just athletically, but also academically,” Ferguson said. “I would bring him into classrooms to show kids that the same grit they have on the field should be in their learning. He’s a success story for the community.”
Ingram took the fractured program and turned it into a winner. Since taking over, he led the Hornets to six straight state championships between 2020-25 and won three of them (2022, 2023 and 2025).
His success didn’t stop with football. In 2017, he also became the girls’ basketball head coach, leading the girls team to win state titles in 2020, 2023 and 2024 before stepping down in June 2025.
Ingram capped his final football season by earning the Gainesville Sun’s Small School Coach of the Year and Florida Dairy Farmers Rural Class Coach of the Year honors. In 2025 he added his third state championship with a 24-8 win over Blountstown after completing the regular season 11-1.
In Hawthorne, high school football holds the town together and Ingram served as a father figure, leading by example. His winning record alone tells the story of success, but so too do the relationships he made with students, staff and the town along the way.
“The more successful our program became, you saw the community become more vibrant.” Adkins said.
His success changed the town. People no longer saw it as just a stop along the highway with the “Burger Barn”; they saw it as a title town filled with talented champion athletes.
“Hawthorne has always been a supportive community, and packed stands on Friday nights create memorable moments these kids will cherish and share with their own children one day,” Adkins said.
According to Adkins, Ingram tried establishing a genuine relationship with each of his players.
Andrew Zock, who transferred to Hawthorne for his senior year and now plays at the University of Toledo, said Ingram’s support continues to be invaluable.
“The first time I met him, I knew I made the right decision just because he’s just a person that you want to work for. He cares about you so much more than just when it comes to football,” Zock said.
Zock entered the transfer portal after the 2024 season, and Ingram made a point to reach out, checking in on how he was feeling about the process. He encouraged Zock and reminded him that he was there for him.
“I know that if I ever need anything, I can call on him and he’ll reach back out and check up on me. And anytime we talk, you can just tell it’s from the heart,” Zock said. “Everything he does from the heart.”
Adkins says Ingram’s decision to step down is understandable.
“There’s a fine line between being a coach and a parent. Now that his son’s in college, he wants to be part of his life and milestones. So, I’m not going to say I saw it coming but I definitely understand the reasoning and rationale especially this time period with his son’s transition and off to college,” Adkins said.
“And what better way to go out than with a state championship,” he said.