Graham ready to start new era for Red Knights
You sense it in practice, you sense it in the players’ swagger. This is a different North Fort Myers football team than it was two or three years ago.
That can be attributed to new head coach and former Mariner standout and NFL player Earnest Graham, who has brought instant credibility amongst his players and an expectation of accountability the program hasn’t had in years.
“We have a new level of paying attention to detail, intensity in practice and focus,” said senior captain Jake Duff. “We play with a sense of urgency and get after it.”
Following consecutive winless seasons, the Red Knights improved to 3-7, sneaking up on the likes of Dunbar and Mariner, but losing tough ones like to Bishop Verot and Cape Coral.
Graham said there is a fine line between winning and losing, and that’s the small things he plans to teach.
“I inherited a tough program. We could have been a five- or six-win team. They came out and played tough,” Graham said. “I’m just trying to add to that. I’m a first-year coach, but I have knowledge from a player perspective.”
Graham said the offense won’t be too different from years past; a pro-style with an emphasis on the run. That’s why he put extensive focus on the offensive line, almost at the expense of the rest of the offense.
Jeff Tumbarello will start at center, Austin Nipper will be a guard, with Quentin Palmer at left tackle.
“That’s the heart and soul of our team. By the end of the season, I’d like to have the best line in the area,” Graham said. “It’s going to be fun to watch them.
While nothing is set in stone, senior Jake Duff looks like the starting quarterback and strong safety, though he could play virtually everywhere else, Graham said.
Eric Russow, LaQuandre White, Louis Alphonso, Zachary St. Amand and others will battle for the tailback position. Brandon King, Joe Wilkins and J.D. Crouch will line up at receiver.
Defensive coordinator Mike Spencer will run mostly a nickel scheme with teams running more spread formations.
Cole Shuker should be a standout at linebacker, while Marlon Gonzalez, a transfer from Island Coast, could be the best player in the area at defensive end and tight end.
“With the inexperience we have in the backfield, we need the line to put pressure on the quarterback,” Spencer said.
Kaleb Beneziak, Sean Howard and Gonzalez will man the front. Tucker Sheridan will play linebacker, but the secondary is young and not deep, Spencer said.
Ken Kearse and Tyler Brooks, Eric Dorsey and Duff should lead the backfield, with White, Hank Gentile and David Vogel in the mix.
North will have a tough time with a schedule that includes District 5A-14 powers Dunbar, Cape Coral, Island Coast and Lemon Bay. Graham said his team has little time to raise its football IQ from now until then.
If they do, stay healthy and learn to close out games in the fourth quarter, the Red Knights could see its first playoff berth since 2006.
“We’re finishers now, so we’re taught to finish games. We don’t get tired. We’re the most in shape team in the county,” Duff said. “We have the skills to do it, we just have to trust each other and play hard.”