Isaiah Gourdine, a 2013 Farmington High School graduate, ran his first practice as head football coach at Auburn Hills Avondale on Tuesday, Aug. 11, the same day high school football practices opened statewide across Michigan.

Gourdine inherits a Yellow Jackets program that went 1-8 last season and has cycled through multiple head coaches in the past handful of years. He told The Oakland Press that stability is his top priority.

"Stability, structure and discipline (is what they need)," Gourdine said Monday. "I've been extremely hard on them. I have high expectations. They're learning to exceed those every day."

He added that he resists the urge to go easy on players who lack structure from the coaching turnover, saying he has to be stern daily so they can exceed his expectations.

This is Gourdine's first head coaching job. He played defensive back at Bowling Green State University from 2013 to 2017, standing 6-foot-2. After college he returned to Farmington High as an assistant coach from 2018 to 2019 under John Bechtel, then spent five seasons at Harper Woods before moving to Detroit U-D Jesuit.

Gourdine connected with Avondale senior quarterback Brock Taylor during the offseason through Rising Stars Academy, a recruiting and training program. Taylor, who also handles kicking duties and says he can hit field goals up to 40 yards, told The Oakland Press he was drawn to Gourdine's football perspective and outlook on life, saying everything worked out perfectly for both of them.

Among the coaches who shaped Gourdine's approach: Mike Elko, entering his third season as head coach at Texas A&M in 2026, and Mike Mickens, a passing game coordinator and secondary coach for the Baltimore Ravens.

Gourdine is the second Farmington High graduate to land a head coaching position this summer. Zach Lietz was named head coach of the Lake Orion-Oxford co-op hockey program, as we reported July 23.

Closer to home, North Farmington opens its 2026 football season against Birmingham Groves on Friday, Aug. 28, at the Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University, with returning quarterback Elijah Cobb leading the Raiders. We previewed the Raiders' season opener in July.