- April 24, 2024
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The focus for the Seabreeze Sandcrabs football team this spring is to develop players, not plays.
BY MATT MENCARINI | SPORTS EDITOR
For Seabreeze, spring football is about player development, not developing the playbook.
The Sandcrabs have less than a week of spring football left, during which they’ll play an intrasquad scrimmage and a game against Astronaut.
While the team returns some talented players — quarterback Connor Blair and athlete Charles Nelson — it has also lost some key contributors from a season ago.
“We have a good group coming back,” coach Marc Beach said. “We have a nucleus of guys who have played a bunch. We just have to try and develop some depth on both sides of the ball. We’re not the only ones who have depth issues. Everybody has depth issues.”
Among the key losses to graduation, Beach said, is Anthony Campanella and Jalen Hinson on offense, and Chris Jones, Zach Driscoll, Mike Augustine and Stephan Brown on defense.
Treyvaughn Rodriguez, the Sandcrabs’ leading rusher last season, transferred to Mainland.
“Guys are responding, practise-wise,” Beach said. “We’ve been a lot more physical, because we feel like we lost some games last year because we weren't as tough mentally or physically.”
Up-and-comers
Raushod Floyd had 23 receptions for 297 yards and four touchdowns in 2012, putting him among the top tier of players, along with defensive end Keshawn Smith and defensive tackle Josh Stevens, who have led spring training.
“He’s so strong — upper body and lower body,” Beach said of Floyd. “He’s done a good job in the weight room.”
Stevens may be one of the few, if not the only player to play nose guard and running back next season.
“Josh finished the year at nose last, and had a heck of a last three ballgames for us,” Beach said. “He’s going to play nose and play some running back. And he’s had a really good spring.”
Health report
Nelson (ACL) and Blair (hand) both ended last season with injuries. While Blair is now 100%, Beach said Nelson, who should play a big role in the Sandcrabs’ offense, is still working his way back.
Players like Ray Sanders have been getting reps at the running back position while Nelson has been out. Beach said he’s been pleased with the reps the younger running backs have had this spring.
Returning leaders
Seabreeze brings back its leading passer (Blair: 1,404 yards and 16 touchdowns), its top two receivers (Nelson: 357 yards; Floyd: 297 yards) and its second leading rusher (Nelson: 302 yards).
