ATLANTA — Keith Maloof of Norcross High School has been named the 2023 Atlanta Falcons Coach of the Year and will serve as the Falcons nominee for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award. The award is given to the high school head coach that represents integrity, leadership, perseverance, dedication to the community, commitment to player protection and on-field success.
Maloof's on-field success has allowed him to become a pioneer in the Georgia high school football community. With more than 40 years of coaching experience, including 28 seasons as a head coach, Maloof won back-to-back state titles (2012-13) and recently became the winningest coach in Gwinnett County history. With an overall record of 224-99, Maloof's teams have won seven region titles in addition to his two state titles. Maloof is also 202-88 at Norcross, making him Gwinnett County's first 200-game winner.
Aside from being a leader on the field, Maloof is devoted to ensuring his student-athletes are successful in their education and become well-rounded individuals and leaders in their community. He checks in with his senior students each year making sure that they not only stay the course but are developing the necessary skillsets outside of football.
"The tradition of what we do to help kids go to college and to be productive in society is what we are focused on," Maloof said.
Falcons outside linebacker and former Norcross Blue Devil Lorenzo Carter surprised his former coach with news that he had been named the 2023 Atlanta Falcons Coach of the Year and will receive two tickets to Super Bowl LVIII and will be honored at the third annual Atlanta Falcons High School Football Awards Show presented by Emory.
For video of Carter's surprise for Maloof, click here.
As the Falcons nominee, Maloof could become the third high school coach from Georgia to win the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award over the past five seasons, joining Dalton High School's Matt Land (2019) and Booker T. Washington's Derrick Avery (2020).
