By Kyle Coppola
South Sumter QB Landen Sherman Commits to Tusculum University
Landen Sherman, the senior quarterback at South Sumter High School, has committed to play college football at Tusculum University, an NCAA Division II program, capping a resilient high school career marked by academic excellence, early-season promise and a heartbreaking injury.
Landen announced his commitment on social media, expressing deep gratitude for the journey.
“First and foremost, all thanks and praise go to God, without him nothing is possible,” Landen posted. “I’m extremely blessed for this opportunity and the support I’ve received. Throughout the ups and downs my faith has kept me grounded and guided me, 2 Corinthians 12:9. Along with that, I am very thankful for my outstanding parents and family for always supporting me throughout my journey regardless of the circumstances and setbacks. I want to thank my coaches, teammates and friends, and supporters for pushing me to become the best version of myself and helping me make this dream a reality. Lastly, I want to thank Coach Pursley and Coach Taylor for believing in me and bringing me in. Let’s go be great!!!”
The 2025 season started brightly for the South Sumter Raiders. Landen earned the starting quarterback role and guided the team to a strong start through the first three games. But tragedy struck when he suffered a season ending leg injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season and forced an early end to his on-field contributions.
Despite the setback, Landen’s toughness shone through. He battled back in his recovery, throwing to teammates during practices and even dressing for the team’s playoff appearance. As he did all year, he showed the kind of leadership and dedication that defined his time with the Raiders.
Backup quarterback Milo Patterson stepped up in Landen’s absence, helping lead South Sumter to the FHSAA Class 3A playoffs. The Raiders reached the regional quarterfinals before falling to Eastside High School, 42-14.
Off the field, Landen has been equally impressive. He has a 4.85 GPA, one of the highest among his peers and scored 1150 on the SAT, earning praise as one of the smartest players on the football field and a standout student.
Tusculum University, located in Greeneville, Tennessee, and competing in the South Atlantic Conference, offered Sherman the chance to continue his football career at the Division II level and we are excited to watch him continue his career.
We are incredibly proud of Landen. Congratulations to his family, friends, coaches and everyone who’s had an impact on his life.
Photos provided.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
