Del Valle High School (Del Valle TX)

IMG Academy looking for new football coach after Bobby Acosta leaves for Del Valle

IMG Academy is looking for its third football coach in as many years after Bobby Acosta accepted the head-coaching job at Del Valle.

IMG Academy is on the hunt for its third coach in as many seasons.

Bobby Acosta, who led the Ascenders to a national championship last season, is leaving Florida to accept the head-coaching job at Del Valle High School in Texas. IMG Academy went 8-0 under Acosta’s watch in 2020, outscoring opponents 381-82 along the way. Its most impressive win over the season was a 41-14 romp over Duncanville in Texas in a battle of the then-top two teams in the country, according to the USA Today Super 25.

“I knew I found my new home after meeting with Athletic Director Tawni Angel and Superintendent Dr. Annette Tielle,” Acosta said in a statement. “Del Valle has a culture of excellence and wants to infuse our students with the tools to be successful.”

Acosta was the wide receivers coach Minnesota’s College of St. Scholastica in 2019 before becoming IMG Academy’s head coach. Prior to his one-year stint in Bradenton, Acosta accumulated coaching experience at the college level at Bucknell (2017-18), Cornell (2016) and Syracuse (2014-15).

Acosta takes over for Charles Burton at Del Valle. Burton, the father of five-star wide receiver and Ohio State commit Caleb Burton. The elder Burton was 29-51 at Del Valle and was the school’s longest-tenured head coach. Caleb Burton has elected not to play his senior season at Del Valle after his father stepped down.

Now, IMG Academy begins a search it has become all too familiar with in recent years. Whoever becomes the program’s next head coach is slated to inherit a loaded roster featuring numerous five and four-star recruits, headlined by five-star 2022 safety Keon Sabb and four-star 2022 quarterback A.J. Duffy.

Five-star 2022 WR Caleb Burton suffers season-ending knee injury

Five-star 2022 wide receiver Caleb Burton is out for the year with a knee injury.

Caleb Burton, the No. 1 wide receiver in the class of 2022 according to 247Sports, is out for the remainder of his junior year after suffering a knee injury.

On Wednesday, Burton confirmed via Twitter that he sustained a season-ending knee injury in Del Valle (Texas) high school’s season-opening 28-13 win over McNeil high school last weekend.

“Due to an injury in my first junior game of the season, I will be out for the remainder of the year,” Burton said. “I am looking forward to coming back stronger and better.”

Burton has been a star on the high school scene since arriving at Del Valle as a freshman, catching 32 passes for 609 yards and six touchdowns on 19 yards per reception. As a sophomore, he hauled in 51 passes for 882 yards and 12 touchdowns on 17.3 yards per reception, earning first-team all-district in Texas District 24-6A both years.

247Sports’ rankings have Burton as the No. 8 overall recruit in the class of 2022, No. 1 among wide receiver and the No. 2 prospect in Texas. With almost 40 reported offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M and USC, he is one of the most coveted recruits in his class.

“Good frame potential for typical outside receiver prospect,” 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks said in Burton’s scouting report. “Flashes impressive timing and high-pointing ability on contested throws. Meets the ball at the apex. Adjusts well with encouraging body control. Gets off the line quickly and on top of corners in a hurry. Shows impressive burst and acceleration. Dangerous in catch-and-run situations.

“Generally a good hands catcher. Good football pedigree. Adequate to above-average on-field long speed but can get faster at the top end. Among the top prospects in Texas for the 2022 class. Possesses all-conference potential with long-term NFL Draft ceiling.”