Sleepers by region

[DisabledAccount]

What are 2 sleepers from each region of Florida? I'll start with north central what are 2 sleepers from this region?

[DisabledAccount]

My 2 sleepers are union county and Ocala trinity

[Proseteye]

I hope you're right Columbia. Funny. Back in 2005 we met Union County in the playoffs. UC had the great RB CJ Spiller. We had QB John Brantley. Although a very tough game, we did win and went on to win the championship that year. To think that both of us are relegated to sleeper teams surely shows how times have changed.   However, I think that OTC may surprise a lot of the pundants this coming season. Hold on to your hat.

[james ricks]

I'm going with Dunnellon and North Marion, NM might have lost a bunch of seniors including freddie swain.plus justin watkins transfer back to vanguard, but they still have a lot of talent and have gained quite a bit of transfers, including 2 from Gainesville Eastside with one of those being QB KJ Minter and athlete Jordyn Riley from Lake Weir and a RB from West Port Markell Glover Cornick plus they still have do everything athlete Jalen Patterson who is committed to Miami and 2 of the top OL in the area in Jeramiah Stafford who's committed to USF and Blake Vinson who's committed to Clemson

[james ricks]

Stafford and Vinson both played at Trinity Catholic then left for NM in the summer of 2015, their decisions to transfer had a lot to do with former head coach John Brantley's departure I'm sure

[DisabledAccount]

I hope you're right Columbia. Funny. Back in 2005 we met Union County in the playoffs. UC had the great RB CJ Spiller. We had QB John Brantley. Although a very tough game, we did win and went on to win the championship that year. To think that both of us are relegated to sleeper teams surely shows how times have changed. However, I think that OTC may surprise a lot of the pundants this coming season. Hold on to your hat.

Sleeper not a bad label, and my 2 sleepers last year both made playoffs (Buchulz and Columbia) sleepers just mean that people are flying under the radar, if I feel a team has talent but has fallen through the cracks then they become a sleeper to me

[DisabledAccount]

I'm going with Dunnellon and North Marion, NM might have lost a bunch of seniors including freddie swain.plus justin watkins transfer back to vanguard, but they still have a lot of talent and have gained quite a bit of transfers, including 2 from Gainesville Eastside with one of those being QB KJ Minter and athlete Jordyn Riley from Lake Weir and a RB from West Port Markell Glover Cornick plus they still have do everything athlete Jalen Patterson who is committed to Miami and 2 of the top OL in the area in Jeramiah Stafford who's committed to USF and Blake Vinson who's committed to Clemson

I heard someone yesterday talking about those transfers from eastside, wonder if they will even win a game this year?

[Proseteye]

Stafford and Vinson both played at Trinity Catholic then left for NM in the summer of 2015, their decisions to transfer had a lot to do with former head coach John Brantley's departure I'm sure

James..............in a sense it did have to do with Brantley's  departure. Coach Sturdivant has a totally different coaching style than Brantley had. There is no place for super stars (in their mind only) on his team. He employs a team first strategy not a me first strategy. I know him and he is truly a decent and respected fellow. He is building character and confidence along with strict fundamentals. Last year the team suffered from too many upsets including a complete change of coaching, transfers out, and a starting QB who went down with a season ending injury. This will be a whole new season with a Senior laden team that has a few experienced D-1 players and a huge OL. Also, Senior QB Ryan Miller is good to go. I don't expect miracles. But, this team is now good enough to hang with every team on their schedule and probably will surprise a few.   

[Proseteye]

Sleeper not a bad label, and my 2 sleepers last year both made playoffs (Buchulz and Columbia) sleepers just mean that people are flying under the radar, if I feel a team has talent but has fallen through the cracks then they become a sleeper to me

By the way, Columbia, Buchholz is spelled as such. The school was named after an esteemed Gainsville educator Frederick William Buchholz. Not finding fault, just a reminder. Many people spell and pronounce the name of the school incorrectly.

[DisabledAccount]

James..............in a sense it did have to do with Brantley's departure. Coach Sturdivant has a totally different coaching style than Brantley had. There is no place for super stars (in their mind only) on his team. He employs a team first strategy not a me first strategy. I know him and he is truly a decent and respected fellow. He is building character and confidence along with strict fundamentals. Last year the team suffered from too many upsets including a complete change of coaching, transfers out, and a starting QB who went down with a season ending injury. This will be a whole new season with a Senior laden team that has a few experienced D-1 players and a huge OL. Also, Senior QB Ryan Miller is good to go. I don't expect miracles. But, this team is now good enough to hang with every team on their schedule and probably will surprise a few.

Sounds like im picking the right sleeper lol

[DisabledAccount]

By the way, Columbia, Buchholz is spelled as such. The school was named after an esteemed Gainsville educator Frederick William Buchholz. Not finding fault, just a reminder. Many people spell and pronounce the name of the school incorrectly.

My bad, my phone automatically spells it that way and usually in a rush so i never try to fix it lol

[james ricks]

James..............in a sense it did have to do with Brantley's departure. Coach Sturdivant has a totally different coaching style than Brantley had. There is no place for super stars (in their mind only) on his team. He employs a team first strategy not a me first strategy. I know him and he is truly a decent and respected fellow. He is building character and confidence along with strict fundamentals. Last year the team suffered from too many upsets including a complete change of coaching, transfers out, and a starting QB who went down with a season ending injury. This will be a whole new season with a Senior laden team that has a few experienced D-1 players and a huge OL. Also, Senior QB Ryan Miller is good to go. I don't expect miracles. But, this team is now good enough to hang with every team on their schedule and probably will surprise a few.

yea my nephew was telling me that they didn't want to buy into coach sturdivant staff and the way he came in running things, Jordan woods was another one that left for NM, currently at Georgia Tech

[james ricks]

I heard someone yesterday talking about those transfers from eastside, wonder if they will even win a game this year?

I will be surprised if they win a game this year, josh brown is the other player that transferred out to NM, he was their best overall player being a slot WR and kickoff and punt returner, so yea I highly doubt they will win a game this season

[DisabledAccount]

I will be surprised if they win a game this year, josh brown is the other player that transferred out to NM, he was their best overall player being a slot WR and kickoff and punt returner, so yea I highly doubt they will win a game this season

If they do it will come against Belleview who went 0-10 last year and was only team they beat last year

[james ricks]

If they do it will come against Belleview who went 0-10 last year and was only team they beat last year

yep, but looking at the belleview schedule I see atleast 3 to 4 possibly 5 games they can win this year, Brantley is changing things down their in south marion pretty quick

[Proseteye]

You beat me to it James. I forgot that John Brantley is now HC at Belleview. Expect Belleview to be a totally different team this season. Belleview always had the players and desire, but not the coaching. They haven't had a decent team since 2004 when they went 11-1 and literally blew out North Marion, Chiles, Gainesville, Forest, Vanguard, and us at Trinity Catholic. Most games weren't even close. They lost in the playoffs to a very good Springstead team. I see them going 8-2 this year, with possible losses to Dunnellon and North Marion. However, neither Dunnellon nor North Marion are going to be as good as last year. So, who knows. 

[james ricks]

You beat me to it James. I forgot that John Brantley is now HC at Belleview. Expect Belleview to be a totally different team this season. Belleview always had the players and desire, but not the coaching. They haven't had a decent team since 2004 when they went 11-1 and literally blew out North Marion, Chiles, Gainesville, Forest, Vanguard, and us at Trinity Catholic. Most games weren't even close. They lost in the playoffs to a very good Springstead team. I see them going 8-2 this year, with possible losses to Dunnellon and North Marion. However, neither Dunnellon nor North Marion are going to be as good as last year. So, who knows.

their overall numbers at Belleview I have heard to are way up from previous years, Brantley is changing the culture down there and a lot more guys are coming out know since he's reviving life back into that program, by looking at their roster I see they have some big kids on the offensive and defensive lines, averaging 265 and over with the biggest being 285 and they also got a transfer QB from North Marion in Corey Wilsher who is just a sophomore. I have actually seen some highlights and he looks like he's going to be pretty good

[james ricks]

That Belleview schedule looks very favorable and they could very well get to 8 wins, The Villages, Weeki Watchee, Crystal River, Lake Weir, Keystone Heights, Eastside, Crescent City and Williston are all winnable games

[Proseteye]

their overall numbers at Belleview I have heard to are way up from previous years, Brantley is changing the culture down there and a lot more guys are coming out know since he's reviving life back into that program, by looking at their roster I see they have some big kids on the offensive and defensive lines, averaging 265 and over with the biggest being 285 and they also got a transfer QB from North Marion in Corey Wilsher who is just a sophomore. I have actually seen some highlights and he looks like he's going to be pretty good

North Marion lost out big time by Wilsher transferring to Belleview. He looks very poised beyond his years. And, is only a Sophomore this year. As you stated, Belleview has nearly double the roster of last year. Also, they had only 2 Seniors on the 2015 team. So, they are now a Senior laden team and I see them with a breakout season. 

[Proseteye]

Just passing along some info for those that are interested.

 

http://www.ocala.com/sports/20160813/ground-attack-focal-point-of-celtics-game-plan................................

[Cat_Scratch]

I'll Pick Venice as my lone sleeper. They've been quiet lately.

[BrowardHandicapper]

I'll Pick Venice as my lone sleeper. They've been quiet lately.

Could be a good one.....  I mean Venice is one of those teams that has been "a year away" from greatness for what - 5 years now?   This may FINALLY be the year.

[Cat_Scratch]

A team I had a ton of respect for was Madison County. They sure dropped off the world of Football. What happened to them?

[james ricks]

Just passing along some info for those that are interested.

 

http://www.ocala.com/sports/20160813/ground-attack-focal-point-of-celtics-game-plan................................

good read, looking for big time things to come for TC this year, stay healthy and they can do some big time damage come playoff time and surprise some people

[james ricks]

A team I had a ton of respect for was Madison County. They sure dropped off the world of Football. What happened to them?

Madison will be 1 of the 1a favorites this year to win it all along with Trenton, Pahokee, PSJ and possibibly a few others