Former standout players Albano and Mingo return to BE as football coaches

John Cantey’s family tree probably includes football-shaped leaves.
 
After all, his father, Jack, was a football coaching legend at Bishop England High School where the football stadium is named in his honor.
 
The younger Cantey, meanwhile, started learning the game as a toddler when he was a team manager for his dad’s teams. John Cantey went on to have an accomplished career as QB at BE, and eventually became head coach.
 
While Jack Cantey is the winningest coach in the school’s history, John Cantey is the only coach in school history to win a state championship, accomplishing the feat in 2011 and again in ’12.
 
And along the way, one of the biggest lessons John Cantey learned is that you win with people.
 
That’s why Cantey stepped back after last season and decided to retool his coaching staff. Former players Leo Albano and Karson Mingo are the new offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively. Albano and Mingo were on the sidelines during the recently completed spring practice, getting to know the players and making sure the players know what to expect.
 
Albano, arguably is the most decorated student-athlete in BE history, and served as a volunteer assistant last fall. He was all-state in football, basketball and baseball. He was part of the best-ever BE basketball team and helped the baseball team win three state titles. He
went on to play football at Notre Dame after graduating from BE in 2018.
 
Mingo, who also graduated from BE in 2018, had a most impressive senior season leading the Bishops in tackles. He went on to play at The Citadel. Like Cantey, he comes from a football family. His father, Kevin, is an assistant coach at Philip Simmons High School.
 
Cantey, who took over as head coach in 2008 and owns a 72-52 record, praised his new coaches. “We have a lot of football knowledge on both sides of the ball,” he said.
 
However, not even Knute Rockne, Vince Lombardi, Bill Bellichick and others could coach and correct what has been the Bishops’ affliction the last few seasons, and that’s an inordinate amount of injuries.
 
Two years ago, the team went through so many quarterbacks that Cantey sought relief by convincing pitchers on the baseball team to come and play QB.
 
It was more of the same last fall with bumps, bruises, knee injuries and other maladies.
 
That’s why the Bishops struggled mightily the past two seasons, combining for a 5-17 record.
 
“The last couple of years have been tough,” Cantey said. “It was tough to get or maintain any energy with all the players out because of injuries. We had a lot of players going both ways, so if someone got hurt, it was like losing two starters.”
 
The Bishops open the 2023 season with three consecutive home games. They host First Baptist on Aug. 25, and a week later, Lucy Beckham travels to Jack Cantey Stadium. The Bishops host James Island on Sept. 8.
 
 

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