SPRING FOOTBALL: Baker looks to carry on winning tradition under new head coach Barry Gardner
BAKER — Barry Gardner isn't trying to reinvent the wheel at Baker.
Shade 50 defense. Wing-T offense.
It's a formula that worked long before Gardner arrived as the defensive line coach during Baker's transformative 2020 state title run, and it's the main reason why Gardner was tabbed to succeed Matt Brunson as head coach of the Gators.
Gardner, a man who's worn many hats in his 15-year coaching career alongside Baker offensive coordinator Rob Armstrong, has big shoes to fill at Baker.
After all, Brunson inherited a Baker program in 2011 that had gone 20-42 in its previous six seasons. A little more than a decade later, Baker is the benchmark 1A program in The Panhandle.
Including six straight Final Fours and a 72-7 record in his final six years, Brunson went 114-21 during his 11 years at the helm. Of course the highlight was the 14-0 state title run of 2020, which was the first football state title in our coverage area since Fort Walton in 1995. Brunson will remain on as athletic director, and he has faith Gardner will carry on the torch.
Gardner's last head coaching position came in 2019 at Graceville, which went 8-4 and advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing 35-21 to Brunson's Gators. Before that he built a strong résumé all over — including the college ranks and stops at Marianna, Holmes County, Rutherford and Chipley, the latter where he and Armstrong nearly led the Tigers to a state title in 2011.
Now he inherits an 8-3 program with the same sky-high expectations.
"Our goal is always the same, and that's to practice on Thanksgiving," Gardner said.
So how was his first spring? Let's take a look at three narratives facing the Gators.
Speed, speed, speed
Gardner admits the Gators are a bit slower than last year.
"The biggest thing is we're young in areas and haven't played a lot with the game sped up, so they don't know what do," Gardner said. "We have to get them to the level of playing with the Madison Counties and Pahokees and speed them up."
The speed he's talking about comes with the losses a senior class that includes Ryan Fleming, Brandon Moss, Tanner Kimbrel, Jared Raybon, Randall Godwin, Bryce Stout and Hunter Myrick.
The Gators have 27 players on varsity, and a strong core of seniors including ...
Kayleb Wagner and those lofty expectations
During Wagner's sophomore year, he rushed for 1,403 and 17 touchdowns — the state championship win his coup de grâce as he rushed for 152 yards and a score.
For an encore last year, he produced 1,949 rushing yards and 21 scores in just seven games — including his 535-yard rushing effort against South Walton that broke Derrick Henry's single-game Florida mark and gained him national notoriety.
This year is all about keeping him healthy behind an offensive line led by Kurt Armstrong. "Developing the other backs" will be essential to managing Wagner's bell cow workload.
"I think our offensive line is a little better and outside of Kayleb we have a running-back-by-committee in Brayshawn Baker, Justin Barberee, Aidan Wadsworth and quarterback Colton Weekley," Gardner said.
How good can this defense be?
Linebacker Ethan Williams and Defensive end Jace Tolbert return to lead this crew, which will be without leading tackler and middle linebacker Tucker Martin for half the season after his ACL tear.
While depth is a concern, the front-seven should dominate. And that starts in the weight room.
"We work hard there," Gardner said. "That's always been a focus for us."
Follow sports editor Seth Stringer on twitter at @SethSnwfdn.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: SPRING FOOTBALL: Baker looks to carry on winning tradition under new head coach Barry Gardner
