The Nease football program is entering year three under head coach Collin Drafts and as a result there is a certain degree of cohesion that has not been there the past couple of years.
In his third year, Drafts is finally starting to see the team reflect his philosophies as a head coach.
“The energy is great, and the competition level is very good every day, which is the most important thing for us,” Drafts said.
The Panthers are the definition of a veteran-laden team with 36 seniors on this year’s squad.
“We’ve got a good player-led team with a great group of seniors taking the lead,” Drafts said. “A lot of those guys played varsity since they were sophomores, which was also my first year.”
The relationships the coaching staff and the players have developed over the past three years is something that should not be underestimated heading into the new season.
It is often said that the third year under a coach is when the coach’s imprint can really start to be seen. That has taken place within the Panther football program.
“The foundation has been laid and we feel good that our culture has been set,” Drafts said. “The players know the expectations and they know what the deal is and now we just have to go out and execute and produce.”
Because the team was so young last year, the juniors were thrown into situations that forced them to become leaders, which Drafts believes has made it easier to continue and embrace those leadership roles as seniors.
Although Drafts is about to begin his third season, he just wrapped up his first full offseason with spring football and summer workouts.
He was hired late in June 2019 and had to plan around COVID-19 regulations in place in 2020.
After a full offseason, something that has stood out to Drafts is the consistent play of his defense.
“I feel really good about the way our defense is responding right now,” Drafts said. “We’ve got a good group of core guys coming back. They’ve been challenged and are definitely stepping up right now.”
He expects the receiving corps to be a strength this season with the ability to present both speed and size out wide.
Tight end and UCF commit Grant Stevens and wide receiver Donovan Wilson provide matchup problems for defenses with their size, while Dom Henry’s speed gives the Panthers the ability to hit a big play through the air at any moment.
“We have four starters back up front along the offensive line, anchored by Sam Dec,” Drafts said.
Dec plays offensive tackle and has committed to Army. He and the rest of the line will be tasked with helping create a clean pocket for quarterbacks Marcus Stokes and Gabe Ohlson to work with.
As a former quarterback himself, including playing in the Arena Football League, Drafts understands how well and offensive line must play for a team to have success.
“At the first team meeting every year, I tell the team that the most important position group on the field is the offensive line, because they have to be the most selfless and play together,” Drafts said. “We’re going to go behind those guys.”
The Panthers drop down in classification to 7A, which means the regular season opener against rival Ponte Vedra will now be a district matchup.
The rest of the district includes Fleming Island, Atlantic Coast, Fletcher and First Coast
“It is one of the tougher 7A districts out there,” Drafts said. “Week in and week out, it’s going to be a battle.”
