#18 Nature Coast Tech

2016: 10-1, lost in Reg. Semis

Head Coach: Cory Johns, First Season

Key Returners: RB/LB Mike Weston(797 Rush Yards, 13TD, 29 TKL, 3 SK) Zachary Powell RB/LB(102 TKL, 2 SK) Starting OL Returns(all 5), QB Fabian Burnett( 67 Yards, TD) WR Dontay Washington(3 catches, 65 yards)

The Scoop: Head Coach Cory Johns takes over a Sharks squad that has had back to back undefeated regular seasons as well as back to back district championships.

Johns, a former college quarterback will change things up a little bit offensively as he will run more of a pro set offense with multiple formations. The quarterback will operate from under center,unlike last season where they ran almost exclusively out of the shotgun. Rising sophomore Fabian Burnett JR  takes over at quarterback for Brian Haygood(12 TD passes, 16 TD runs) who graduated. Burnett will do a lot of damage with his legs but Johns likes his young signal callers ability to throw the ball as well.

The bulk of the offense will come from running the football, with the entire starting offensive line back after helping graduated senior TJ Owens run for 1551 yards and 21 TD’s now they will focus on opening holes for Mike Weston.

On defense it will be the Zachary Powell show. The senior racked up 102 tackles and two sacks last season and will be a name to remember in John’s 4-4 attacking style defense which is led by former Nature Coast head coach Charles Liggett who comes over from Hudson where he served as the DC the past three years.

Player to Watch: Mike Weston, Cory Johns said this about his junior running back, “Mike Weston is going to be a force, he reminds me of Markenzy Pierre (who graduated from Liberty and went to Syracuse after rushing for 2,559 yards and 30 touchdowns)Markenzy may have been a little faster, but Mike is bigger and stronger, and has great football instincts with the football”

Quotable: “I’d much rather be at a place that has expectations that puts  that little pressure on you because if you are a competitor and you want that and that’s the kind of thing you are looking for. You want a little bit of pressure and you want to get after it”.

2017 Schedule

8/25 @IMG Academy White

9/1   vs South Sumter

9/8   vs Springstead

9/15  @ Brooksville Central

9/22   vs Crystal River

9/29    @ Lake Wales

10/6    vs Weeki Wachee

10/13  vs Lecanto

10/20   @ Citrus

10/27   @ Hernando

11/3      BYE WEEK