A change of direction: Sarasota Christian to play 8-man football its first season
SARASOTA — Eight is enough?
For Jacob Spenn, it's just right.
When he was hired to start a football program at the Sarasota Christian School, the 44-year-old Illinois native knew little of 8-man football, played by around 1,600 schools in 30 states across the country.
But after only a few practices, during which Spenn spent a majority of the time teaching basic fundamentals to his players, several of whom had never played football, the decision was made for the Blazers to play their inaugural season in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference's 8-man football league.
The decision, Spenn said, was predicated on the number of players who participated in spring football. The former coach of a state-title winning team in Houston had around 25 come out. But, of that number, only a handful had the necessary size to play on the offensive and defensive lines.
Start-up: Spenn on ground floor of Sarasota Christian football program
"I think it's more of a numbers game," said Spenn, also Sarasota Christian's athletic director. "I didn't want to make a commitment to other schools while not having enough linemen to get through a season. I never had a season where I had the same five offensive linemen. Nobody does. Now, with 8 man, you only need three of them.
"I've been watching a lot of YouTube clips on it, and it still plays like regular football. There's a lot of space and it highlights the skill guys. We want to be an 11-man school. I wasn't really familiar with 8 man, but I think it will be a one-year deal. We have such interest in our middle school ... the following year, we'll probably have 20 freshmen football players."
Last season, 16 Florida schools played 8-man football. They played in the SSAC's North, West, East and Central divisions, four schools in each. Teams from All Saints' Academy in Winter Haven and Gainesville's Oak Hall both ended the season with 9-1 records. A school's departure from 8 man allowed the Blazers to join.
Sarasota Christian will adopt that team's schedule, forcing Spenn to find two more opponents to fill out an eight-game schedule. One of the schools the Blazers will face is The Classical Academy of Sarasota, a private school located on Fruitville Road.
The Blazers will play schools from the Tampa area to Lakeland, meaning longer bus rides to games.
"I think we can compete," Spenn said. "I think we have the guys to compete. The timing (of 8 man) is different; the football is the same. Going to be a lot more play action and bootleg. It's going to be easier (for the quarterback) to get outside the pocket."
In 8 man, rules require that five players be stationed on the line of scrimmage. While the three in the interior are the center and two guards, tight ends occupy both ends, or are split wide as receivers. On defense, to combat the passing which has increased in 8 man, a 3-2-3 alignment often is used.
"We were going to throw the ball anyway," Spenn said. "We were going to use the back in protection because we didn't think we'd have enough protection. Now, we've got to get it out quick. But I've wanted a quarterback to get it out quick my whole career.
"Quarterback power becomes a pretty good play because he's got an extra blocker. You can run that out of a three-receiver set. Because there's more space, misdirection becomes the name of the game."
Spenn said he's been pleased with how his players have learned the sport's basics, but to those with limited, or no, experience, some aspects have been difficult. One of his players had attempted tackling only a few times in his life.
"He doesn't have a frame of reference," Spenn said. "On contact, they're stopping their feet; they're not driving through. And they're capable of it."
The school is expecting the delivery of several tackling sleds, which are customary in any football program.
And then there's the bigger picture, which Spenn never lets leave the minds of his players. "I remind them every day, 'hey, we're doing something big this year.' We're doing something to change the culture of the athletic program and give us some physicality in all our sports. I believe even girls sports will get better from having football.
"There's a comfort level knowing our roster will be more than enough, that's for sure. No. 1 for any coach is to put the kids in the best position to succeed, and I feel like we're doing that.
"Is there a sense of a little bit of disappointment (over not playing 11 man)? Well, yeah, but it's still football."
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Christian will play 8-man football in the SSAC's 8-team league
