We are two weeks away from kickoff classic games and just over three weeks out from the start of the Big Bend prep football regular season.
There are tons of questions as we head into the new season, but we’ve narrowed our list to 15 as the excitement for kickoff nears its climax ahead of the 2024 season.
Can Madison County make it back to the state title game?
Madison County returned to the state title game last season under head coach Price Harris, facing rival Hawthorne in the Class 1R State Championship game, falling to the Hornets. The Cowboys looked like the dominant teams that won state titles in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, playing a smashmouth brand of football that was nearly impossible to stop. Harris enters year three with a chance to bring Madison County back to the state championship game once again, with key players like Ryshard Miller, LJ Crumity, Kemari Scurry, Jason McDaniel and Octavious Hodge all returning.
In the new FHSAA classification system, there is no district for Madison County and the program will be competing in the rural division while fighting for playoff seeding against both Hawthorne and Williston. The foundation is laid for the Cowboys, its up to them now to build a state championship-winning resume.
What do Florida High, Wakulla look like after graduation of talented senior classes?
After battling in last season’s 2S regional semifinal, Florida High and Wakulla showed why both programs were two of the area’s premier teams. Both teams were led by strong senior classes of players primarily developed in the program, including the likes of Florida High’s Ashton Hampton, Micahi Danzy and Jeremey Johnston and Wakulla’s Nehemiah Chandler, Samron Brinson and Haden Kless among a long list of others.
The question for both teams now becomes which players can step up and take their teams forward. Both programs are going to feature a heavy amount of young players, but with the track record of development between the head coach Jarrod Hickman and Scott Kless, you can’t count out either program as they look for the next crop of future stars, but will that group be ready to compete this season?
Which teams could be a surprise?
There are a handful of possible answers to this question, with Bill Ragan’s Chiles squad and John Holston’s Godby team two interesting prospects. In his first year, Ragans lead the Timberwolves to a 6-4 record, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot with a young team. Junior quarterback Taylor Jacobs could be set for a breakout year, and the Timberwolves defense will remain strong with Ragans defensive routes, making them an interesting team to keep an eye on this season.
In his first year leading the Cougars, Holston gave us a peek at what his Godby team will look like during the spring jamboree, beating Leon with a strong balance on offense and some stout defensive play. It still has to be put together on the field but with the talented young core of Tylan Vickers, Jamarin Simmons and Lazarus Chambers, the Cougars could be in a prime position for a breakout year. While both programs look to be in position for a surprise season, can they put it all together and stun the Big Bend in the fall?
What does Rickards have in store, is Jalen Wiggins set for a big senior year?
One of the surprises of the spring jamborees was Rickards, who looked to be the sharpest program in the area with an impressive two wins over Chiles and Wakulla. The Raiders are coming off a 3-7 season in 2023, but it feels like the program has taken an upwards turn this season, and with senior University of Florida commit Jalen Wiggins anchoring the defensive line, it could be a special season.
Quarterback Benjamin Henry took a step forward in the offseason, and the offense around him has improved after a year of development, now can the Raiders take the momentum from the spring and apply it in the fall and be one of the top teams in the area?
Which underclassmen is set to break out?
Last season we saw Godby’s Tylan Vickers, Madison County’s Ryshard Miller and LJ Crumity and Chiles Trevor Jacobs all take a step forward as underclassmen, so who is next to follow in their footsteps? Jacobs remains a sophomore, and after his callup to the varsity squad, he caught four touchdowns, second on the team, on 13 catches. He is the brother of quarterback Taylor Jacobs, and the duo could be in for an impressive year.
Godby’s Jamarin Simmons is another candidate for a breakout year, impressing over the summer and earning offers from Florida State, the University of Central Florida and Colorado. He’s a shifty receiver who pairs well with Vickers, and he impressed in the spring jamboree as a primary target, and he could be one of the breakout stars in the Big Bend this season.
Which upperclassmen could break out?
With such an emphasis put on finding talent when they are young, some players can fly under the radar until their upperclassman year. There are a handful of players who could make a statement this season, including Leon’s Charles Bosby, Rickards Tyriq Walker…
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