Fresh quarterbacks, confident coaches all the rage during spring football

As the 2016-2017 high school year slows down, spring football acts as a final hurrah for students, giving returning players and fans alike something to look forward to when school resumes in August.

This spring, the focus has been on quarterbacks. All four Sarasota schools are breaking in new starters — although one player brings plenty of experience.

That would be Riverview’s Arthur Brantley, who started for Booker the past two seasons. Brantley, an incoming senior, played his freshman season for the Rams before heading to Booker. He is verbally committed to Georgia Southern, and his legs are equally as threatening as his arm.

“I’m feeling very comfortable in the offense (assistant) Coach (Josh) Smithers has Riverview running,” Brantley said. “We’re running a lot of read-option with some run-pass option in it. Being a leader, running the ball a lot and airing it out to my receivers to make plays.”

Brantley grew up with numerous players on the Rams, he said. That will help develop the chemistry that was key to Riverview’s long-awaited playoff run last season. Brantley will replace Mike Welcer, who will attend Allegheny University, but many of last fall’s key players return, including incoming junior running back Ali Boyce and two wide receivers, incoming junior Zy Grable and soon-to-be sophomore Malachi Wideman, who already holds an offer from the Florida Gators.

They’re still working “to be on the same page for those Friday night games,” Brantley said, but the group performed well in its 22-21 spring game loss to Port Charlotte, played under dubious weather conditions May 19. The defense did, too. Anchored by its depth last season, the unit will be led by incoming senior Jamar Johnson. Johnson has offers from Southern Mississippi, Marshall and Georgia Southern, among others.

Brantley’s arrival at Riverview meant Booker had a hole to fill. Head coach Dumaka Atkins chose incoming senior Talik Keaton, a wide receiver last year.

Keaton performed well in Booker’s 19-14 spring game win over Lakewood Ranch. He threw and ran for 105 yards and recorded two rushing touchdowns.

“He’s a great athlete,” Atkins said of Keaton. “He’s gifted. Hopefully we can refine his skills so we can make some noise.”

Atkins is feeling more comfortable now than he did last fall, he said. He took over during the season and gave the Tornadoes some fight. At one point 0-4, Booker finished 3-6. Despite the turnaround, the transition was rough on both Atkins and his players, he said. He’s now fully implemented his system and surrounded himself with experienced assistant coaches, including his brother, former Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Baraka Atkins, at defensive coordinator, and his cousin, former Bethune-Cookman quarterback Brock Waters, at offensive coordinator.

Sarasota High, too, has to replace a starting quarterback. Bryan Gagg transferred to Braden River after starting his first two years. Sailors coach Brian Ryals said Peyton Jula, who will be a junior, has emerged as the team’s starting quarterback heading into summer. Jula was Braden River’s junior varsity quarterback a year ago.

Sarasota loses more than its quarterback. It also loses its do-it-all offensive star Xakari Hawkins, who heads to Malone University. Ryals said the Sailors will fill Hawkins’ void collectively, using players such as incoming senior wideout Deric Dubose, incoming junior wideout Charles Ward and the Battie brothers, Tommy (an incoming senior wide receiver) and Brian (an incoming sophomore running back).

They will also use Trayvon Hall, a incoming sophomore Ryals is excited about. He played running back last season, and will continue to do so, but Ryals will also use him at safety.

Ryals described how the 5-foot-9 Hall “de-cleated” Gulf Coast High’s 6-foot-6 tight end George Takacs, a four-star prospect with offers from Notre Dame and Florida, among others, in the Sailors’ May 19 spring game.

Sarasota lost that spring game 35-0, but Ryals is excited about the potential of his players.

The one area school whose quarterback situation has nothing to do with transfers is Cardinal Mooney, though the Cougars are still breaking in new blood. Head coach Drew Lascari mentioned incoming senior Jack Koscho as someone he thinks can be a starter, but stressed the competition is still open.

“I think that everyone competing for the job is still growing as a quarterback,” Lascari said. One player Lascari has no worries about is Bryce Williams, the incoming senior running back who holds offers from Power 5 teams Minnesota, Iowa State and South Florida, among others. Williams had 179 yards and three touchdowns on 14 touches May 18 in the Cougars’ 35-12 spring game win over Avon Park. Lascari said Williams can be a 2,000-yard rusher next season.

Lascari is confident. The Cougars went 10-2 last season before losing to Melbourne Central Catholic in a Class 3A regional semifinal, and the plan at Mooney is to build on that success.