Boyer, of Byron named IHSA Coach of the Year

    The Byron Tiger head football coach Jeff Boyer has been recently announced as the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) 2023-24 Coach of the Year.

    “Coach Boyer’s ability to inspire and develop our student-athletes, both on and off the field, has been nothing short of extraordinary,” states Byron CUSD athletic director Jeff Milburn. “It’s a testament to his leadership and dedication to both his craft and our community. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

    Boyer, who has led the Tiger football team since 2012, is no stranger to awards. His teams have been represented in the IHSA State Championship Game four times. His Tigers earned runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019 along with two state championships in 2021 and 2023. Over that time, he has amassed 121 wins to only 27 losses, and his teams have qualified for the IHSA playoffs 10 out of 11 seasons.

    When asked about receiving the award, Boyer is quick to credit others. “This award is truly a reflection of the amount of support that both I and our program consistently receive,” he said. “Without the hard work of our players and coaching staff, the ongoing support from our parents, district staff and community, and the willingness of my family to allow me to invest a great deal of my time in something I truly love, this simply wouldn’t happen.”

    Boyer also credits his high school coach Everett Stine and retired longtime Rochelle head coach Kevin Crandall, who he worked under prior to coming back to Byron High School, for a great deal of his program’s success. “These guys taught me a lot about what it takes to be a good head coach,” Boyer stated. “They represented themselves and their respective programs with nothing but class.”

    Boyer has this year’s team poised to have another successful season. The Tigers are currently 6-0 and ranked number one in the state. They will finish up the last two games of their season at Dixon on Friday, Oct. 18 and at home against rival Stillman Valley on Friday, Oct. 25.

    “He instills values of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance in our students,” states Byron High School principal Andy Donaldson. “The impact he’s had on our students will last a lifetime. Byron is fortunate to have him leading our program and our students.”

    Boyer is a 2000 Byron High School graduate and has been teaching mathematics for the district since 2008. He is married to Rae, his wife of 16 years, and they have three children who attend Byron schools: Hudson, grade 7; Hunter, grade 3, and Charley, grade 2.