Kathleen Red Devils

2015: 9-2, 7A-District 7 runner-up

The Red Devils lost in the first round of the 2015 playoffs to Plant (35-24).

Head Coach: Irving Strickland

Key Returners: DE Jaaron Jackson, LB Tobias Larry, LB Ventrell Miller, WR Shelton McNeal Jr., C Nick Shinn, DE Sebastian Smart, WR Chris Williams, CB Detrick Williams

The Scoop: Young doesn’t begin to describe this year’s Kathleen team. Only three returning starters on offense and five on defense. The Red Devils roster is sophomore and junior heavy, but full of talent.

 

The Kathleen High football team graduated the bulk of its starters, but you won’t hear head coach Irving Strickland using the rebuilding word. An injection of youth has the Red Devils  primed for big things this season.

Kathleen is putting feet to pavement this summer. They have to. The Red Devils return only three starters on offense and five on defense.  So what they lack in in experience, they’re making up for with hard work.

“We’re young, but we got a lot of kids that played last year. We’ll be junior and sophomore heavy," Strickland said. "I think I’ve only got nine or 10 seniors this year. Good seniors, but we’re going to be young and talented. But just being on the road those first six out of seven games, it’s going to be a big test on the maturity of our football team.”

Kathleen will be road warriors at the beginning of the season. Their first six of seven games are away from Johnny Johnson Stadium.

“It’s going to be real tough," Strickland said. "Sometimes, I think to myself what in the world was I doing, doing this."

It’s a challenge, but one Coach Strickland believes his team is up for. He may not have a lot of returning starters, but the ones he has coming back are impressive, including University of Florida commit Ventrell Miller and center Nick Shinn. These seniors have played a big role in the growth of the Kathleen football program and they will be key in the growth of a young team this season.

“For us, we fill like if we can just be in the game fourth quarter, we have a great chance of winning," Strickland said. "It’s going to be tough, you know, Winter Haven, Bartow, Lakeland, your district’s always tough. And plus, you’ve got to play Lake Gibson, play Lake Wales, play Auburndale.

"Our schedule is tough, but we feel like if we can come out of that first half, the first seven games undefeated or one loss, we’ve got a chance.”

 

2016 Schedule

8/26 at Lake Gibson

9/2 at Haines City

9/9 George Jenkins

9/16 at Vierra

9/23 at Auburndale

9/30 at Winter Haven

10/7 Bartow

10/21 South Fork

10/28 Lakeland