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Highlands Today

Young Sebring 'O' Gains Experience

Brian Gjurgevich/Highlands Today

Sebring's Devin Clarke is one of many talented sophomores at skill positions the Blue Streaks will bring back next season.

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By CHRIS HOFFMAN

Highlands Today

Published: November 28, 2008

SEBRING - The end of the football season is here for head coach Jared Hamlin, but the work has only just begun for him and his coaching staff.

"People think that when the games are done we just go home until next fall," Hamlin said. "After that last whistle of the last game blows, that's when the real work begins."

A plethora of game film has to be watched and dissected - play after play - which Hamlin says will take him long into January.

"We watch every play that we ran and break them down into what worked and what didn't," Hamlin said. "Then we look at who's coming back and we'll go back to the drawing board and come up with a scheme that we'll implement for next season."

This time of the year is Hamlin's own personal game of "Stratego," which allows him to move and position his pieces on the board of the football season and see if his strategy is more powerful than his opponents, much like the popular board game.

"I loved the game Stratego and football is just like that game in that you try to set up your offense and plan your attack and when the time is right, you strike," Hamlin said. "We'll be taking this whole offseason to plan our attack and hopefully be ready to capture the victory flag in the form of a district title."
Hamlin says that 2008 was not exactly the way the fifth-year head coach had in mind, as the Streaks posted a 3-7 record that included a seven-game losing streak - the longest of Hamlin's tenure at Sebring.

During that patch, Sebring was involved in one of the highest scoring high school football games in recent memory in the Heartland - a 57-51 double-overtime shootout loss to district foe Hardee.

Down 45-28 at the half, the Streaks mounted a gutsy comeback on the strong arm of sophomore quarterback Matt Grubb and his faith in his receivers to score twice in the final 5:30 of regulation to force overtime.

"That was a game that was just wild," Hamlin said. "I've never been a part of game that was as explosive offensively as this one.

"It's one of those games that now I've had time to reflect, that I'm glad to have been a part of and one you can tell your grand children you were there to witness it unfold."

What Hamlin takes from that game and a season that was full of expectations, but short on favorable results, is the excitement he already feels about next season.

The possibility of having his quarterback, center and leading receiver - all sophomores this season - for another two years give him confidence about reaching the pinnacle of the district.

Grubb, along with center Jesse Baker, junior tailback Daniel Burnett and sophomore receiver Devin Clarke will be the backbone that the Streaks offense will rest on for the coming years.

Grubb finished the season 127 for 225 for 1,646 yards (164.6 yards per game) throwing 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his first year as the starting quarterback for the Streaks.

"I felt confident all season and I thought our offense was really gelling together toward the end of the year," Grubb said. "I'm my own worst critic, so I would've liked to have thrown less interceptions and done more to help my team win more games.

"But now it's time to get back in the gym and the film room and put in the extra time to take that next step forward as a team and wipe this season off the books."
Hamlin put his faith in Grubb right from the start, as he anointed the sophomore to replace A.C. Wilson as the signal caller, making him the youngest starting QB under Hamlin.

"Matt has never made me doubt my decision to make him my quarterback," Hamlin said. "He's well ahead of most sophomore quarterbacks in terms of maturation. His accuracy is solid and he reads defenses very well for his age, but it's the way he commands a huddle and the respect of his teammates that is what makes him my starter."

Grubb's work ethic is a trait that Hamlin wishes all his players would adopt, but his willingness to do what's necessary to win is what separates himself from other quarterbacks.

"Matt isn't afraid to throw the interception," Hamlin said. "He'll come right back out and throw the ball with no fear.

"He throws the ball to win."

Burnett quietly led Highlands County in rushing this season, racking up 892 yards on 196 carries for a 4.55-per-carry average and scoring eight touchdowns for the Streaks.

Clarke became the favorite target of Grubb, catching 65 passes for 979 yards (15.06 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns. The sophomore receiver was even commanding double teams through most of the second half of the season, but showed the talent to catch the ball under pressure.

On the defensive side, the Streaks lose senior linebacker Kenny Daniels, who led the team with 33 tackles, along with defensive back Lorenzo Lowe, who had 26 tackles and a team-high three sacks.

But junior defensive linemen Gus Williams and Zack Bullock and defensive back Trini Sutton highlight a Streaks defense that was young across the board in '07.

Williams was second on the team in tackles with 29, while Bullock and Sutton had 34 combined tackles and will have a whole summer to work on getting stronger and faster according to Hamlin.

"Our defense is primed for a big season next year," Hamlin said. "We were pretty young on defense and I felt that we really came together as a defense late in the year. We'll have the whole summer to get these boys focused on the task of bringing home a district title. That's all I want these boys to be concentrating on: I want them focused on something attainable first like a district title before we look to making a run in the playoffs.

"You can't win a state title unless you make the playoffs and that's where we want to be this time next season. I want to play deep into November."

Chris Hoffman can be reached at 863-386-5837 or choffman@highlandstoday.com

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