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| Hubert O. Dabney Stadium, Home of the Jackets |
By Bob Castello
Daily Commercial Staff Writer
LEESBURG - Leesburg High first-year head football coach Ed Hoffman isn't concerned with rankings, even though the Jackets begin the 1992 season listed at No. 10 in the Class 4A
state poll.
"I told (the players), frankly, that's last year's team," Hoffman said. "We;re starting over,"
The Jackets began tonight, hosting rival Eustis at 7:30 p.m. at Leesburg's H.O. Dabney Field.
Though the Jackets are beginning anew, they are beginning with most of the same cast that compiled an 8-2 record last season and a share of the Class 4A District 7 title.
Class 3A Eustis, meanwhile, begins with a much different group, having lost all-state tailback Bayfus McCoy and several other key players.
"It has an impact; it has to when you lose 19 seniors like we did," Eustis Coach Kevin McClelland said. "it;s just like it's going to make an impact next year, because we have a good
group of seniors this year."
The two seniors who will be watched the closest in tonight's game are the tailbacks Leesburg's returning all-stater, Oran Singleton, and McCoy's successor, Oliver Longley.
"We know what they're going to do, and they know what we're going to do," McClelland said. "Oliver right, and Oliver left, Oran right and Oran left, with (Steve) Gooden thrown in."
And McClelland said Gooden, the quarterback who engineers the Jackets' I-bone attack, could give Leesburg the edge.
Gooden is in his third year as the starting quarterback. He is one of the many returnees flooding the Leesburg lineup.
Hoffman, making his debut as the Jackets' head coach, said he's hoping his team controls the ball on offense and plays "good, solid defense, like we always have."
Hoffman said stopping Longley will be the key to stopping the Panthers' offense.
"I don't think he's a Bayfus, but he's the same type of kid," Hoffman said. "If he breaks the line of scrimmage, you've got to keep him under control....We know after watching him in the fall jamboree. We didn't see that in the spring."
Last week in a jamboree half against Mount Dora, Longley carrried 13 times for 93 yards and added a 76-yard kickoff return for a score.
The Panthers defeated the Hurricanes 20-13, and McClelland said his team's play was good for morale.
"The big thing is it did make them realize they're not as bad as they think they are," McClelland said laughing.
Last year, Leesburg beat Eustis 7-6 in the season opener when Bo Widmann stopped McCoy on a two-point conversion on the last play of the game.
This year, both coaches expect much of the same, with both keying on the outset.
"With the type of team they've got we don't want them to get on top," Hoffman said. "They've got the athletes."
The big key is our first series of downs," McClelland said.
And with Singleton and Longley being chased all night, McClelland said the ending will play a role.
"In the later phases of the game, it's going to come down to who's in better shape," he said.
Singleton, who rushed for 1,798 yards last season, didn't do much in the spring jamboree but gained 112 yards on six attempts last week in a jamboree half against Clermont.
Hoffman said he's hoping his players will avoid thinking of the expectations being placed on them, and remain focused on the job at hand.
"This whole season's going to be taken one game at at time," Hoffman said. "The most important games for us will be the district games. And as coaches, we have to guard against
letdowns in between."
"We know what they're going to do, and they know what we're going to do," McClelland said. "Oliver right, and Oliver left, Oran right and Oran left, with (Steve) Gooden thrown in."
And McClelland said Gooden, the quarterback who engineers the Jackets' I-bone attack, could give Leesburg the edge.
Gooden is in his third year as the starting quarterback. He is one of the many returnees flooding the Leesburg lineup.
Hoffman, making his debut as the Jackets' head coach, said he's hoping his team controls the ball on offense and plays "good, solid defense, like we always have."
Hoffman said stopping Longley will be the key to stopping the Panthers' offense.
"I don't think he's a Bayfus, but he's the same type of kid," Hoffman said. "If he breaks the line of scrimmage, you've got to keep him under control....We know after watching him in the fall jamboree. We didn't see that in the spring."
Last week in a jamboree half against Mount Dora, Longley carrried 13 times for 93 yards and added a 76-yard kickoff return for a score.
The Panthers defeated the Hurricanes 20-13, and McClelland said his team's play was good for morale.
"The big thing is it did make them realize they're not as bad as they think they are," McClelland said laughing.
Last year, Leesburg beat Eustis 7-6 in the season opener when Bo Widmann stopped McCoy on a two-point conversion on the last play of the game.
This year, both coaches expect much of the same, with both keying on the outset.
"With the type of team they've got we don't want them to get on top," Hoffman said. "They've got the athletes."
The big key is our first series of downs," McClelland said.
And with Singleton and Longley being chased all night, McClelland said the ending will play a role.
"In the later phases of the game, it's going to come down to who's in better shape," he said.
Singleton, who rushed for 1,798 yards last season, didn't do much in the spring jamboree but gained 112 yards on six attempts last week in a jamboree half against Clermont.
Hoffman said he's hoping his players will avoid thinking of the expectations being placed on them, and remain focused on the job at hand.
"This whole season's going to be taken one game at at time," Hoffman said. "The most important games for us will be the district games. And as coaches, we have to guard against
letdowns in between."
Resources
Bob Castello
Daily Commercial Staff Writer
Daily Commercial
September 11, 1992
Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Varsity Jackets Football #82
Class of 1988 Leesburg High School
Gerald is the CEO/President of Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc. He runs his entire business from his home where he is able to spend quality time with his family and friends. He is passionate about helping individuals to build and monetize their personal brand online.
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