2016 PREVIEW GUIDE: Plantation American Heritage Patriots Team Preview

AMERICAN HERITAGE PATRIOTS (PLANTATION)

Head Coach: Pat Surtain
District: 5A-16
2015 Record: 10-2
Offensive Formation: N/A
Defensive Formation: N/A

RETURNING ATHLETES

Name, Height, Weight, Year, Info & 2015 Stats in parenthesis
• QB Jason Brown, 6-3, 195, Sr. (1195 passing yards, 12 TDs, 7 interceptions, 725 rushing yards, 18 rushing TDs; 2nd team FHSF Class 5A All-State Elite Team)
• OL Tedarrell “T.J.” Slaton, 6-5, 353, Sr. (HM FHSF Class 5A All-State Elite Team)
• OT Kai-Leon Herbert, 6-5 277, Sr. (Strong blocker that helped team avg 216 yds per game)
• OL/G Zack Zambrano, 6-3, 285, Jr.
• WR Laress Nelson, 5-10, 175, Sr. (252 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs 157 kick return yards)
• WR Dontavius Butler, 6-2, 195, Sr. (168 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD)
• WR Miles Jones, 5-8, 170, Jr.
• RB Matthew Peart, Jr. (107 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs)
• OLB James Houston IV, 6-2, 220, Sr. (37 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 3 fumble recoveries)
• DT/OG George Ellis III, 6-3, 290, Sr. (35 tackles, 1 sack)
• DE Andrew Chatfield, 6-3, 210, Jr. (44 tackles, 6 sacks)
• DT/OG Nesta Silvera, 6-2, 194, Jr. (5 tackles, 4 tackles for loss)
• FS/SS Calvin Hart, 6-2, 200, Jr. (11 tackles)
• CB Patrick Surtain Jr., 6-2, 187, Jr. (12 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 interception return TDs, 89 interception return yards)
• CB Marco Wilson, 5-10, 163, Sr.
• CB/FS Tyson Campbell, 6-2, 170, Jr. (22 tackles, 4 passes defensed, 2 interceptions, 1 interception return TD, 60 interception return yards)
• CB Will Allen, 5-9, 170, Sr. (13 tackles, 2 passes defensed, 2 fumble recoveries)
• FS/SS Blake Wooden, 6-1, 175, Sr.
• FS/CB Michael Hicks Jr., 5-10, 170, Sr. (10 tackles, 1 interception)
• K Zack Thomson, 5-11, 185, Sr. (925 punt yards, 31.9 average yards per punt, 11 punts inside 20)

NEWCOMERS ON THE FIELD

Name, Height, Weight, Year, Additional Info in parenthesis
• OG/OT/DE Robert Hawkins, 6-5, 265, Sr.
• OC/OG Javier Garcia, 6-3, 285, Sr.
• OG/OC/DT Jerome Javier, 5-10, 315, Sr.
• TE Robert Sylvester, 6-3, 228, Jr.
• OLB/MLB/SS Zach Simmons, 6-1, 205, Jr.

2016 SCHEDULE

* – denotes district game
^ – at Curtis Park, Miami
+ – at Traz Powell Stadium, Miami
• Aug. 27 at Colquitt County, Ga., 8
• Sep. 2 vs Don Bosco Prep, N.J., 7
• Sep. 9 at Miami Northwestern, 7:30+
• Sep. 16 at Coconut Creek, 7*
• Sep. 23 vs. Miami Norland, 7:30
• Sep. 30 vs. Stranahan, 7:39*
• Oct. 7 BYE WEEK
• Oct. 14 vs. Cardinal Gibbons, 7:30*
• Oct. 21 at Miami Jackson, 7:30*^
• Oct. 28 at Hallandale, 7*
• Nov. 4 BYE WEEK

STORYLINES TO FOLLOW

Who’s calling the shots?: With the departure of head coach Mike Rumph, the Patriots athletic department looked no further than assistant coach and ex-Miami Dolphin, Pat Surtain, to fill the void. Rumph left behind quite the legacy at the Plantation preparatory school, posting a 36-9 record during his tenure complemented by back-to-back state titles in 2013 and 2014. But Surtain has an impressive record himself. Playing 11 seasons in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs and the hometown Miami Dolphins, Surtain had quite the professional career before calling it quits and ending up at the helm of a powerhouse Patriots team.

Who is protecting the quarterback?: Jason Brown is a mobile quarterback, breaking out of the pocket for 18 TDs on the ground last year, but it certainly helps to have, as coach Surtain said himself, “One of the best O-lines in the country.” Led by Tedarrell Slaton, who currently holds offers from 18 schools, and his counterpart Kai-Leon Herbert, who is committed to Michigan, the pair make sure that no one gets to their quarterback without a fight. With the offensive line that the Patriots boast, look for the offense, which found the end zone on the ground 36 times last season, to continue running the ball behind their big men up front.

Out for vengeance?: Late in October last season, the Hallandale Chargers traveled to Plantation to take on the Patriots in a district matchup. The Patriots handed the visiting Chargers just their second loss of the season with a dominant showing, outscoring their opponent by 23 points. Just three weeks later the Chargers and Patriots met again in the Class 5A Regional Semifinals, only this time the result saw the tables had been turned. Hallandale moved on to the Regional Finals with a narrow 27-20 victory over the Patriots. After going all the way in the two years prior to this second round exit, the Patriots will not be quick to forget this loss. Hallandale, the 2015 district runner-ups to American Heritage, will play host to their rival once again at the end of October this season. With both teams holding state championship aspirations, this late season matchup may prove more important than just pure rivalry, it could be the difference between a trip to the playoffs and an early exit to the offseason.

KEY NON-DISTRICT GAME

Aug. 26 at Colquitt County, Ga. – With the season getting underway this huge test comes early for the Patriots who will go up against the back-to-back defending Georgia AAAAAA state champions, who are also defending a mythical national championship as well. For any team traveling up from Florida to Moultrie is no easy task. Just ask teams like Tampa Plant, who scummed to a big loss to the Packers to start the season off last year. If the Patriots can keep it close and get out of their like that – no matter win or lose – the tone could be set for what to expect the next week when the host Don Bosco Prep as well as for the rest of the season.

KEY DISTRICT GAME TO WATCH

Oct. 28 at Hallandale – As it has already been mentioned, there will be a lot of tension – and high stakes – coming into this game as a lot of the Patriots players know what is at stake. Most importantly they want to show the Chargers who is boss here in this game after suffering an early second round exit last year to their new-found rival. However, this time around, they have to make the trip over to Hallandale to get the revenge – that is they can play solid for a 48 minutes in what should be the game could be for the district championship.

AUDIBLE FROM THE COACH

“We’re returning one of the best quarterbacks in the state and even though we don’t have a go-to running back anymore, we have three capable backs,” Coach Surtain said. “We have quick, standout receivers along with a linebacking core led by one of the best in the nation. Our secondary is loaded, plain and simple, and we have one of the best offensive lines in the country.”

THE OUTLOOK

Each and every year the American Heritage Patriots are widely recognized as one of the top football programs in South Florida as well as in the nation.

High praise for the Patriots this season started with some high expectations, as the Patriots were ranked the 11th best team in the nation, per MaxPreps’ Xcellent Top 25. The pressure will be on the Patriots to perform up to that ranking right out of the gate.

Returning seven defensive starters and five on offense, the Patriots look to be in good shape for the coming season; the list of highly recruited players on the roster goes on and on. However, adjusting to a new coach takes time and time is not something the Patriots have a lot of.

Getting a preseason test against the defending 4A champions, in Booker T. Washington, will be no easy task. However, to make matters worse, American Heritage will be heading to Georgia the very next week to take on a Colquitt County team that went 15-0 last season en route to a state championship, not to mention being ranked #2 in the nation by MaxPreps as well. Colquitt County is the defending national champions, according to High School Football America’s Top 25 national rankings, which use an algorithm to determine its rankings each week during the season.

Despite the difficulties that come with adjusting to a new coach, Patrick Surtain will be bringing his 11 years of NFL experience at cornerback to an accomplished secondary unit. That secondary unit includes Surtain’s son, Patrick Surtain Jr., who holds 19 offers, and is accompanied by Marco Wilson (brother of Florida defensive back Quincy Wilson) and Tyson Campbell. Apart from the defense, quarterback Jason Brown looks forward to another year behind center with two of his top targets, in Laress Nelson and Dontavius Butler, returning. With those two weapons out wide and Tedarrell Slaton and Kai-Leon Herbert protecting Brown, look for him to post a historic season with 1,000 yards in the air and 1,000 on the ground. With another former professional player taking over a team full of potential college and NFL hopefuls, all eyes will be on the Patriots to see if they bust, or regain their position as the Class 5A champions in 2016.