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Spring Football: We explore one burning question for all 11 area programs

seth stringer, northwest florida daily news
·6 min read

Spring football is upon us.

Instead of August, this is when district and region titles are won. This is when that winning mindset takes root. This is when teams bond and brotherhoods form.

With that said, we determined one burning question for every team. Read on.

Kayleb Wagner fights for yards during the Baker Chipley Regional Final football game played at Baker. The Gators season ended with a 22-7 loss as the Tigers advance to the state Final Four.
Kayleb Wagner fights for yards during the Baker Chipley Regional Final football game played at Baker. The Gators season ended with a 22-7 loss as the Tigers advance to the state Final Four.

BAKER (8-3, Elite Eight)

Can this offense regain its swagger?

Kayleb Wagner flexed last year, rushing for 1,949 yards and 21 touchdowns in just eight starts. But the Gators missed Joe Brunson in the backfield. No longer did they have two legitimate threats to keep offenses honest, and in their three losses they mustered just seven, seven and 14 points.

For the first time in seven years they sat out the Final Four, which is a crazy streak in and of itself. Can Wagner remain fully healthy and will the Gators return that 1-2 punch? Can the offensive line behind Kurt Armstrong pave the way? We shall see.

Choctaw RB Cole Tabb follows the lead of his blockers during the Crestview Choctaw football game at Crestview.
Choctaw RB Cole Tabb follows the lead of his blockers during the Crestview Choctaw football game at Crestview.

CHOCTAW (6-4 missed playoffs)

Can the Big Green build on last year's success and be a playoff contender?

The nucleus is there. The lengthy Jesse Winslette and his 1,196 passing yards and 10 touchdowns returns for his junior year, as does his favorite target in rising senior Jayce Brown (eight touchdowns). Meanwhile rising junior Cole Tabb looks to build on his 1,731 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns, while defensively Choctaw returns playmakers like David Pettway, Jashawn Armstrong and Jacob Muse.

Choctawhatchee High School quarterback Jesse Winslette throws a pass early in the Indian's home game against Richards High School. Rickards won the district game 34-28.
Choctawhatchee High School quarterback Jesse Winslette throws a pass early in the Indian's home game against Richards High School. Rickards won the district game 34-28.

6-4 is just scratching the surface This team should threaten for double-digit wins.

CRESTVIEW (6-4, missed playoffs)

What does the post-Tim Hatten era on the gridiron look like?

Hatten will be remembered for leading the Bulldogs to the Final Four, beating Niceville four straight times between 2016-2018 and reigniting a passionate fan base. He remains on as Athletic Director, but can the next HC (Thomas Grant?) get the Bulldogs back to playoff notoriety, back to beating Niceville (four straight losses)? They return a strong nucleus in quarterback Jerome Brazan (16 touchdowns), tailback Jason Jones (13 scores) and Marion Hawthrone (six sacks, 59 tackles).

Crestview QB Jason Jones runs the ball during the Choctaw Crestview Scrimmage at Choctaw Thursday.
Crestview QB Jason Jones runs the ball during the Choctaw Crestview Scrimmage at Choctaw Thursday.

DESTIN (N/A, 2022 inaugural season)

What impact can legendary FWB alumnus E.G. Green have on the Sharks?

Everyone knows the name E.G. Green. And everyone knows the allure of vacation destination Destin, which tends to draw in athletes that formerly were able to choose between Fort Walton, South Walton, Niceville and Choctaw as their HS destinations.

The two will merge as Green and the cachet his name carries promises to build a roster that can compete with small schools across the state. Still awaiting FHSAA approval, the Sharks will be independent in 2022.

FORT WALTON BEACH (1-9, missed playoffs)

Will this lightened schedule produce wins for Chip Petree and Co.?

Fort Walton's schedule was hellacious last year.

The Vikings' foes finished with a combined record of 72-36, not one below .500. The result was a 92-384 scoring margin, their closest game (outside of the forfeiture win over Niceville) being a 30-16 defeat to Milton. Simply put, they were destined for failure with the area's toughest schedule.

Vikings head coach Chip Petree makes some adjustments to the field position in the second half of play during a Spring Intrasquad football scrimmage at Steve Riggs Stadium.
Vikings head coach Chip Petree makes some adjustments to the field position in the second half of play during a Spring Intrasquad football scrimmage at Steve Riggs Stadium.

This year, they added 1-8 Arnold, 2-8 Bay, 4-6 Booker T. Washington and smaller South Walton (losing Kemper Hodges and Cade Roberts) among others. While wins may still be few and far between, this year's crew at least has a chance to be competitive.

Freeport QB Ashton Nunes passes during a spring practice at the high school.
Freeport QB Ashton Nunes passes during a spring practice at the high school.

FREEPORT (4-7, playoff first round)

How good can quarterback Ashton Nunes be?

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound rising senior has the frame and he has the pieces around him following a campaign where he lit up secondaries for 2,549 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. Sure, KK Henderson and Cole Mccormick graduate, but rising junior Robbie Durgin (39 catches for 632 yards and eight touchdowns) and Tracker Thomaston (four scores) return.

NAVARRE (5-4, missed playoffs)

Who leads the Raiders after losses on both sides of the ball?

Quarterback Kyle Chambers is gone. Running back Chris Decorte is gone. Linebackers Devin Wright and Christian Caballero too. Oof.

After falling short of the playoffs, the Raiders will lean on QB Hunter Pfiester (44-for-76 for 491 passing yards and four touchdowns compared to three centers), a green backfield and wideout Terence Marshall (23 catches for 540 yards and six scores) for points. The Raiders are again built around their O-line, defense and special teams, but expect some growing pains.

Niceville head football coach Grant Thompson, center, on the sidelines in a 2021 football game.
Niceville head football coach Grant Thompson, center, on the sidelines in a 2021 football game.

NICEVILLE (10-2 last year, Sweet 16)

Who fills the offensive void of those seniors?

The Eagles lost 69% of the offense, including athlete Azareyeh Thomas (17 touchdowns), quarterback Addie Moore (21 touchdowns) and left tackle Austin Firestone.

Well, Niceville has been here before. Will Koch handed off the reigns to Trey Wainwright, who was superseded by Moore. The Eagles don't rebuild, they reload. The same questions face a defense that loses Thomas, Firestone, Noah Harman, Peyton Holley, Khalil Jacobs, Ethan Edge, Preston Murphy, Ryan Driscoll and Jay Pope, but Niceville's defense has always been a next-man-up crew.

Niceville Rb Micah Turner is pushed out of bounds just short of the goal line during the Niceville homecoming football game against Gadsden County.
Niceville Rb Micah Turner is pushed out of bounds just short of the goal line during the Niceville homecoming football game against Gadsden County.

The easy answer for who leads this year's offense is running back Micah Turner, he of 11 touchdowns last year and who started under center for an injured Moore in the Sweet 16 loss. But last year Turner saw Pope take over the lion's share of the carries in crunch time and former QB backup Harrison Orr has proven more valuable as a playmaker in the secondary. The Eagles have some mighty big shoes to fill at specialty positions.

ROCKY BAYOU (6-4, Sweet 16)

Can the Knights contend for postseason success?

Year 1 under Robert Vilardo was an unmitigated success. The Knights outscored foes 279-212 during the regular season, which ended with five wins in their last six contests. Noah Potts returns under center along with leading rushers Gideon Rossell, Ryan Duncan and David Om.

SOUTH WALTON (10-2, Elite Eight)

What becomes of South Walton without Kemper Hodges and Cade Roberts?

One is the 4A Dairy Farmers POY after throwing for 3,077 yards and 34 TDs and rushing for 1,169 yards and 26 TDs. The other is Florida's all-time receptions leader with 261 catches. What a void to fill..

WR Pearce Spurlin reacts after making a rolling reception during the Seahawks final regular season football game at home against Lighthouse Private Christian Academy.
WR Pearce Spurlin reacts after making a rolling reception during the Seahawks final regular season football game at home against Lighthouse Private Christian Academy.

The Seahawks still have Georgia commit Pearce Spurlin at wideout, and rising junior Carson Hawk enters as the heir apparent under center after completing 9-of-22 passes for 98 yards, no touchdowns and an interception last year. The Seahawks' system is built around its aerial attack, so there won't be much of a learning curve for Hawk as they open the season hosting 1A perennial power Baker followed by traveling to larger Fort Walton.

WALTON (9-2, Sweet 16)

What will Year 2 of Keith White bring?

You think White was the right hire?

Walton High School head coach Keith White is the Daily News Small School Football Coach of the Year.
Walton High School head coach Keith White is the Daily News Small School Football Coach of the Year.

In his first year, the Braves went 9-2, routed defending 1A state champion Baker and sported a 329-167 margin of victory behind a smashmouth rushing offense. White held his players accountable and created a environment built around the gym and brotherhood. With the Braves returning quarterback Keyaunte Miller, tailbacks Makei Jones and Cornelius Mackenzie and Small Schools Defensive Player of the Year Jawaun Campbell, this crew will compete for a Final Four bid in 2022.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Spring Football: We explore one burning question for all 11 area programs