Coaches Selected for the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl

The Navy All-American Bowl is pleased to announce the coaching staffs for the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl. Coach Mike Smith of American Heritage (Plantation, FL) and Coach Claude Mathis of DeSoto High School (DeSoto, TX) have been selected to coach the East and West squads.

Coach Smith and Coach Mathis will lead their teams – consisting of the top 100 high school football players from across the country – on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. ET at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Bowl is once again expected to draw an attendance upwards of 25,000 and a television audience of more than four million for its broadcast across NBC and Peacock.

In addition, the Navy All-American Bowl is proud to announce this year’s honorary coaches. Commander Tyree Barnes and Lieutenant Cameron Kinley will be joining the coaching staff for the West and East teams respectfully. Commander Barnes is a Naval Academy graduate where he was the recipient of the Roger Staubach Award, upon graduation he spent time with the New England Patriots. He is currently the Commanding Officer of NTAG Red River. Lieutenant Kinley is a Naval Academy graduate and served as class president and captain of the football team, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. He currently serves at the Office of Naval Intelligence.

These individuals have been selected for their outstanding service, leadership, and dedication. Commander Barnes and Lieutenant Kinley will have the opportunity to participate in practices, off-field, and on-field activities, culminating with the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl.

The following are the complete coaching staffs for the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl (assistants listed alphabetically; head coach listed first):

2026 East Coaches:

2026 West Coaches

Christopher Nendick from Naperville, Illinois will also be serving as a kicking and punting assistant coach for both teams.

Live coverage of the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl will be presented on NBC and Peacock on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

About the All-American Bowl

As an NBC Sports-owned property, the All-American Bowl is part of a marquee lineup of elite events that includes the Olympics and Paralympics, the Premier League, and primetime’s #1 show for an unprecedented 13 consecutive years: Sunday Night Football. The All-American Bowl is annually the most-watched, most-talked about, and most-prestigious high school all-star event with more than four million unique television viewers and more than 25,000 fans in attendance. The history and tradition of the All-American Bowl is unparalleled, as it features: 594 draft picks; 93 Super Bowl champions; 247 Pro Bowl selections; and 18 Heisman finalists. For more information, visit nbcsports.com/college-football/navy-all-american-bowl or follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram (@AABonNBC)