Matanzas offensive linemen block during a practice scrimmage. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas offensive linemen Logan Walker, Sean Liston and Jaxon Narrington. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas running back DJ Harris turns the corner in practice. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas amassed 3,862 yards of offense last year. That was largely due to huge production from quarterback Cole Walker, who passed for 2,387 yards, and running back Wiley Conner, who rushed for 1,107 yards.
But in front of every good passer and runner is a good blocker. And the Pirates would not have achieved such offensive success if not for an effective offensive line. Four of the five linemen from last year’s 7-4 team have returned.
The line should be the strength of the team again this season, coach Matt Forrest said, and all of the Pirates’ opponents are well aware of it.
Our offensive line is going to be very important, because they're the most experienced group coming back, and they got a lot of talent. But everybody's going to be gunning for them this year.
— MATT FORREST, Matanzas head football coach
“Our offensive line is going to be very important, because they're the most experienced group coming back, and they got a lot of talent,” Forrest said. “But everybody's going to be gunning for them this year. They know they're coming back.”
Seniors Logan Walker and Jaxon Narrington and junior Sean Liston are all college-caliber linemen, Forrest said. Junior tackle Anthony Williams is also returning.
Walker, Liston and Narrington have all been working on multiple positions along the line. Walker, the team’s center last year, may start at guard this season with Liston, who played guard and tackle last year, moving to center.
“I’ve always worked all five (positions),” Walker said. “I'll do anything to make the team better.”
Showing versatility will not only make the team better but may also give the linemen more opportunities to be recruited, Forrest said.
“Them having the confidence to move around will make them more marketable on the next level, and it does a lot for us from depth purposes,” Forrest said. “If one of those three gets hurt, we can shift positions to make it work for a guy that that might not have the same experience. So if we've got a young player that only plays tackle, we can move a tackle to guard and play the young guy at tackle.”
The Pirates will have a new quarterback this year with juniors Cole Hardy and Michael McDonough and freshman Devin Davis competing to start. As the trio gains more experience, Matanzas will likely lean on its running game, led by Conner.
“He’s the best running back I’ve ever played with,” Narrington said. “We don't even have to give him that much room. He just finds the hole wherever he goes.”
Darwin “DJ” Harris, who rushed for 488 yards for Flagler Palm Coast last year, and freshman CJ Perkins provide exceptional depth to the offensive backfield.
“We have three of the best running backs in the area,” Narrington said. “And we have some great sniffs (H-backs), who are extra blockers.”
Walker and Liston said the offensive line isn’t as good as it needs to be yet.
“I think we got a lot of stuff to work on,” Walker said. “We just have to keep our heads down and keep going at it every day.”
Liston said he is still adjusting to the move to center, but in the long run, he expects it will make the line better.
“I’m looking forward to the impact the offensive line is going to have," he said.
“It's not a secret,” Forrest said. “If you're not good on the offensive and defensive line, you're going to struggle everywhere else.”
Forrest, who is entering his seventh season as the Pirates’ head coach, is trying to put together consecutive winning seasons for the first time.
“The success we had last year is in the past,” Forrest said. “To repeat that success, it takes a lot more work, because pieces do change, different opponents are on the schedule. There are a lot of factors that go into stringing together successful seasons consistently. I want this program to not be an up-and-down program. I want it to be a program that competes in the playoffs every single year.”
