- April 18, 2024
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No. 1 — Stay healthy
Last season, the Bulldogs endured several injuries, including losing the team’s starting quarterback in the beginning of the season. Coach Caesar Campana knows that all football coaches want their teams to remain healthy, especially if a competitive season is on tap.
The Bulldogs won’t be doing anything differently this season to prevent injuries, though.
“There’s nothing you can do to prevent (most injuries),” Campana said.
Specifically, Campana said losing a starting QB can be devastating to any team — especially a high school team.
“The QB is such an important aspect of whether you’re successful or not,” he said. “We’re real smart about what we do at practice as far as contact, and we just hope that we’re just smart enough and physical enough to survive through the year.”
No. 2 — Maturity of young players
This season, the Bulldogs will be returning one starter on offense — junior tight end Dustin Bowens.
Seniors Shaaf McGlown (offensive line) and Chris Perron (offensive line) will be starters this season.
Campana has been impressed with the maturity of his younger players throughout the preseason, but noted it’s a long season.
“We have three months of football to play, and a lot can happen, and there’s a lot of factors involved,” Campana said.
Campana said a large part of the Bulldogs’ success will be how the younger players mature both on the field and off.
“It’s just going through the daily grind of what we’re doing — and surviving that — and being able to mature mentally as athletes,” Campana added.
FPC’s youth is evident both offensively and defensively.
The Bulldogs’ backfield — which ran for more than 400 yards in the preseason game Aug. 25 against Deltona — is overflowing with youth, featuring only one senior.
Running backs Turrel Matthews (junior) and Devonte Emanuel (sophomore), as well as fullbacks Rashad Cooks (sophomore) and Xanthos Santana (senior), will see the bulk of playing time in the running game this season.
No. 3 — Development of young QBs
Last year’s starting quarterback was Cory Soard. Following a season-ending shoulder injury for Soard, sophomore Bentlee Critcher took over. Both Soard (graduation) and Critcher (transfer) won’t be back this season.
Instead, sophomore Colton Boyd will run the Bulldogs’ offense.
“We’re just asking him to run the team — not do anything outstanding,” Campana said.
Campana said the goal is to keep Boyd out of situations where he will feel pressured to make big plays.
Boyd earned time on the junior varsity squad last season as QB and also was called up to varsity toward the end of the season, though he didn’t see much playing time on varsity.
“Colton is a very hard worker,” Campana added, noting that he’s a bright players and is growing into a better athlete.
“He’s a tall kid with great physical strength.”
Campana said Boyd has equal qualities as a runner and a passer.
In addition, freshman Marquis Murphy will also be on varsity as QB.
Murphy is a talented athlete both running and throwing the ball, Campana said.
“He’s very mature mentally,” he said. “We’re going to ask that those guys to run the show. ... But we don’t want them to do anything outstanding right now.”
A key aspect of protecting the young QBs is a strong offensive line.
The trenches are where most games can be won or lost.
“I think our offensive line is much more athletic than it was last year,” Campana said.
Most of the starters are used to Campana’s style after playing most of last season.
“We don’t ask (the offensive line) to protect the QB every down,” Campana said.
That means there will be plenty of plays that include the QB moving outside of the pocket.
“We have schemes where the QB is on the run,” Campana added.
The best thing the Bulldogs’ offense has going for it, Campana said, is that it faces the Bulldogs defense in practice every day.
No. 4 — Defense
As the saying goes, defense wins championships. The Bulldogs began the season with a shutout against Deltona.
“Our defense is pretty good, but we play some good football teams down the road,” Campana said.
The Bulldogs will close out the season with three consecutive district games.
As with most of the team, the defense has plenty of youth in the secondary.
Sammy Cooper, a junior transfer student from Spruce Creek, will man one of the cornerback positions. Eric Mejias, also a junior, is the other cornerback. Willie Gardner and Jordan Amelias, both juniors, will hold down the two safety positions.
The defense will run a 5-2 scheme again this season. That means five defensive lineman, with two linebackers behind them.
“We slant and move (the defense) around a lot,” Campana said.
The defense is well-coached, Campana added, noting defensive coordinator Norris Lightsey, who has been involved with the Bulldogs defense for several seasons.
