Fernandina Beach names Apollo Wright as head football coach for 2022 season

Pirates select Wright for football

Two months away from the start of spring football, Fernandina Beach has its next football coach.

The Pirates hired former Florida International and New Mexico assistant Apollo Wright as their new coach for the 2022 season.

He takes the place of Jude Swearingen, who did not return after the Pirates' 3-7 season in 2021. Swearingen compiled a 22-29 record in five seasons at Fernandina Beach, including the program's first-ever postseason victory in the 2020 playoffs.

A Pennsylvania native who played high school football at George Washington High School in Philadelphia, Wright lined up at quarterback at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania during the mid-1990s.

He has more than a decade of coaching experience in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with six years on the Florida International staff and seven years at New Mexico. Wright coached primarily running backs and special teams during his college football tenure.

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He also spent six seasons as running backs coach at Villanova, where the rushers included two-time Pro Bowl tailback Brian Westbrook.

Wright has been active in Nassau County since leaving New Mexico, publishing the Amelia/Yulee Neighbors magazine and serving on the board of directors of the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce.

Fernandina Beach is still seeking its first back-to-back winning seasons since 2007 and 2008 under Ed Brown.

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Apollo Wright hired as Fernandina Beach High School football coach