In the game of football just like in life there are ups and downs. We played our second district game against Gaither whom I felt that we could beat. We were up 14-10 in the 3^rd quarter driving to score again then due to penalties we were backed up and forced to punt. I think if we would have scored we would have been up 21-10 and the whole game would have changed, we lost 34-14.

This week was homecoming week. In the history of our school we have never won a homecoming game vs. Ridgewood. My teammates and I were very determined to change that this year. We had a very intense practice this week along with the school activities leading up to the homecoming game.

Game day we usually go into the field house to get ready after our team meal about 2 hours before the game. I usually get dressed and find somewhere to but my headphones on listen to my music and sleep until time for pregame. When I came out of the locker room I seen so many people there in the stands and lined up to lead us on the field, I have never seen that many fans at one of our games. So I felt that all eyes were on us not to let our school down again.

We jump out to an early 27-0 lead so I guess that frustrated Ridgewood so on the kickoff of the second half one of their players hit one of the LTW “Lay That Wood” Boys (Nickname for our Linebackers) Christian Borak who had just won Homecoming King helmet to helmet blindsided so that really amped me as well as my teammates up. I was going after whoever had the ball. We won the game 37-14 I knew I had a good game but did not know how well until after the while at Beef O Brady’s with my teammates and I saw on twitter that one of the reporters said that I had 25 tackles. My goal in preseason was to get 100 tackles. I got 100 tackles in 6 games.

Recruiting is going as well as expected I hear from some schools on a daily basis some maybe once a week I feel once my film from this year is sent out things are going to get crazy. I can’t worry about that right now because we still have some unfinished goals and some big games ahead of ourselves.
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Here is what happened in Weeks 5 & 6 from Jaye as well.

The past two weeks have been a little tough, the prior two weeks I was on top of the world with two big wins. Now the dream of an undefeated season is over with two straight losses.

First loss was to River Ridge 21-14. Not taking anything away from the River Ridge players and coaches because they were well prepared and wanted more than we did, but I feel that we beat ourselves more than they beat us. We made TOO MANY mistakes as a team and River Ridge capitalized on them. Even after all of the mistakes we made we still had a chance in the last seconds of the game to tie it up. Our quarterback Shane Bucenell scrambled 85 yard in the last 18 seconds of the game but we needed 87 yards. I would definitely say that Shane has the most heart of any player that I have played with or against.

The mood of my teammates after the game I would say was “Disappointed”, Coach didn’t have too much to say after the game but “See you gentleman at 5:00 am.” I could not sleep that night thinking about what Coach is going to make us do at 5 o’clock in the morning. The next morning all of my teammates arrived well before 5am, we all sat in the locker room for about 15-20 waiting on Coach to come in. Once he comes in he tells us to go to the “Bull” that sits in front of the school. I thought that he was going to have us exercise or something outlandish we all stood by the Bull and he asked each of us. What does this Bull and what does playing for this school mean to you? We just sat there as a team and had a team bonding session.

Next game was Tampa Bay Tech, I was looking forward to the challenge of this game because I knew that they are loaded with “D-1” talent Tajee Fullwood, Deon Cain, Fred Russ, Micah Tucker, and Deon Thompson whom I played Pop Warner with to name a few. I wanted to see how I would perform against top tier talent such as the players on Tech. We held them close in the first half 12-0. I guess their coaches made 2^nd half adjustments and won 32-0. Even though we lost by such a big margin the game was a lot closer than the score indicated we had the ball in the red zone a couple of times but penalties and turnovers hurt us. I was proud of myself and my teammates because we all played 4 quarters and did not quit. My first tweet after the game was to Tech QB Deon Cain congratulating him on the victory and for being a true leader of his team and he advised me that I did my thing also #Respectamongstplayers Also my dad is friends with one of the coaches for Tech and he also gave positive feedback on my performance.

As far as recruiting is concerned it feels great to hear from so many coaches from various teams across the country. Since my last journal in addition to the schools I have previously heard from I have heard from Akron, Cincinnati, NC State, Georgia State, Mizzou, Mississippi State, Penn State, Boise State and Florida. It is a very good feeling to go to your mailbox and see handwritten material addressed to you from coaches at these big named universities. I look back to when I first started playing youth football for the New Tampa Wildcats when I was 8 years old along with a couple of players that are now D-1 prospects Tre Watson (Tampa Catholic) Scott Patchan (Tampa Freedom) I would have never thought in a MILLON years that I would be in the position where I am now because I was an 8 play kid back then. I have worked very hard year after year to get better. None of this is possible without God. God is Great!!

The post PLAYER JOURNAL: Wiregrass Ranch, Jaye Miner – A Homecoming Win & 100 Tackles appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We have left the players journal unedited to allow the players to express themselves in the best possible way that they can do so.

Since my last journal entry a lot has happened on and off the field for me. We have played 2 games and we are now 2-0. “The 22 game losing streak is over.” (Not According to Coach Lawrence) because he wants us to keep our hunger. Since September 1^st the first day colleges can contact juniors recruiting has heated up as well.

First game of the season we were on the road against Gulf High School. Like us they were 0-10 last year, so we knew that they were going to be just as hungry as us. It was good to look in the stand at an away game to see our side of the stands full. We score first then they tied the game up at 7-7. Then went on and scored 35 unanswered points and earned our first regular season win since 2010. Was I excited? YES. But we didn’t show it. Coach has told us “We have to act like we have been there before.” I finished that game with double digit tackles but I did let an interception (pick-6) slip through my hands.

September 1^st I woke up and seen that I received an email at 12:01 am from the recruiting coach from the University of Virginia. I took an unofficial visit to Virginia during spring break I really liked the coaches, campus and the indoor practice facility. I like the direction that Coach London and his staff have UVA going in. So I was honored that they reached out to me at 12:01am. Later that day I received emails Florida State and Coastal Carolina. Coastal Carolina recruiting coach was at my spring game so that meant a lot as well. Tuesday after practice Coach gave me letters from Ohio State and Auburn. (Big 10 and SEC) this process is getting exciting. Since September 1^st I have heard from the following schools (FSU, Miami, FAU, UNLV, San Diego State,Rutgers, Virginia, Ohio State, Auburn, Arkansas, Coastal Carolina, and Duke.) I have been in contact mostly with Duke. I plan to go to take some more unofficial visits this fall Duke, Miami, FSU, FAU and Coastal Carolina so far.

Our 2^nd game was against Hudson at home we knew that this was going to be a tough game. Hudson has a good run game. It was pouring raining during the game and we had 7 starter suspended for the first quarter but our kicker Bryce Wilson along with our defense holding Hudson gave us a 6-0 halftime lead. Hudson then came out and scored at the end of the 3rd quarter we were down 7-6. We then score 18 unanswered points. I was one of the players that scored. I scored on a fumble recovery on defense. I had my best game every 17 tackles 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery for a TOUCHDOWN!!!!!! It’s good to hear from your teammates and family that I did well, it’s even better when the player on the other team tell you that you did good. Six players from Hudson followed me on Twitter and told me I did good including their QB Joey Caruso told me “You are the real deal” I have a lot of respect for the Hudson team.

We are starting to get some new BULLievers . The students and staff are proud of their school football team. It feels good to see supporter in the stand even in the rain.

Jaye Miner #15

Linebacker

Wiregrass Ranch High School

Twitter @jayeminerbulls

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EDITOR’S NOTE: We have left the players journal unedited to allow the players to express themselves in the best possible way that they can do so. 

My name is Jaye Miner; I am a 6’3” 195 lbs. junior strong safety, linebacker and Wide Receiver at Wiregrass Ranch High School in Wesley Chapel Florida. I have been on the varsity roster since my freshman season and have been a starter since my sophomore season.

I am part of a team that is in transition. Over the past two seasons we were 0-20. Coach Shobe who coached our team the past two seasons is no longer with our program, I would always be grateful to Coach Shobe for giving me the opportunity to play on the varsity team as a freshman. Our new Head Coach Mike Lawrence played his collegiate football at Kansas State University which is a big time college football program. Since Coach Lawrence has played at the level that I am trying to get to I will be very receptive to everything he has to say.

From day one when Coach Lawrence took over the team he instilled in us a winning attitude, some of the phrases that we had to memorize as a team was, “Perfection is unattainable, but if you chase perfection, Excellence will be achieved.” And “Winning is not a sometime thing it is an all-time thing.” That winning attitude has absorbed by all of my teammates. Our team did not have an off-season this year we all wanted to become a better team. The players on my team would meet at the park, the gym, LA Fitness etc. to workout so that we can become better players for our team we are holding ourselves accountable. Majority of the football players decided to be part of the track team so that we could work out together.

When it came time for spring practice it was a lot different than in the past. Disciplined would be the one word I would use to describe to atmosphere of our practice during the spring. Every player and coach was focused on our objective for the spring which was to beat Chapel (Wesley Chapel, we don’t respect them enough to say the whole name) and Sunlake.

For the spring game the team was so amped up. We played Chapel the first two quarters they are our arch rivals we are friends off of the football field, but on the football field we don’t like them and they don’t like us. This year the rivalry became more intense because two of our former coaches; Head Coach Tico Hernandez who was my middle school football head coach and was on our staff the last two years along with Coach John Holley who was one of my favorite coaches now coach for Chapel. Now they are the enemies. The game was close we were up 3-0 going into the last minute of the game they had the ball in our territory and driving. I was playing middle linebacker their quarterback threw the ball toward the left sideline; I ran as fast as I could toward the receiver and got the interception right in from of some college scouts that were at the game. For the first time in my high school football career I have tasted victory 3-0 even though it was a spring game. For the next 2 quarters we played Sunlake which is one of the most successful teams in the county and we beat them 7-0 in two quarters. So now we believe that we can play on the field with any team.

This summer I have been extremely busy between workouts, showcases and college football camps. My summer travels started out at the University of Miami Football Camp. I feel that I did well at Miami. I was with the linebackers I was told by one of the coaches that I should come back do a campus visit and come to a game this fall. “I will be back for sure”. The next camp I attend was FIU they held their camp at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice facility, it felt good to be on the same field that some of the NFL greats practiced on. It started pouring down raining so I didn’t get a chance to get any feedback from their coaching staff. The next event I attended was the Big County Preps E7 showcase. I was really excited about this event because mostly everyone I know goes to the BCP website on a daily basis and some of the best recruits in the Tampa Bay area get their first exposure from BCP. I won the Linebacker MVP award and came in 2^nd place in the Gauntlet obstacle course by .59 seconds ahead of some of the top WR, RB and DB’s in Tampa Bay.

My first out of state camp was Charleston Southern I did great there, one of the coaches there though that I was a rising senior and said, “I may not be able to talk to you at this time next year because you are about to blow up.” That comment made me feel really good about my progress. The next day my travels took me to Coastal Carolina University I really liked the campus and facilities there, regardless if I attend Coastal Carolina or not I will always remember their slogan of “B.A.M” BE A MAN. Be accountable for your actions and don’t make excuses. I will remember that for life. The last camp that I attended was FAU I performed well there in the one on one drills I had a couple of interceptions. Upon returning home my team had a camp as well I enjoyed this camp the most because my little brother who is a rising eighth grader was on the field with me along with my adopted brothers “The Wiregrass Bulls Football Team” we have sweated together, pushed each other to the limits physically and mentally, laughed and cried together. My teammates are my brothers for life.

I have heard from quite a few schools. Some of the schools that shown interest are: UMASS, Coastal Carolina, Rutgers, Arkansas, Miami, Maryland, Virginia, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, UNLV, Nevada, Arizona State, Florida State, FAMU, Stetson, Charleston Southern and Wofford. I plan on going on a bus trip with Unsigned Preps next summer to visit some other schools

Now that practice for fall football has started we have close to 80 players on the field I can’t wait for our fall classic game vs. Mitchell HS 8/22 at Wiregrass Ranch HS.

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