Manatee football preview 2017: Hurricanes enter new coaching era
At a glance
Herald’s forecast: 7-3
The opening stretch is daunting and the season finale against Venice isn’t a picnic. Still, Manatee should be the co-favorite, alongside Sarasota Riverview, in Class 8A-District 6. A revenge victory over the Rams could seal a direct path to the playoffs with a district title.
Deep at: Nothing. New head coach Yusuf Shakir said it might be the youngest team he’s ever coached.
Thin at: Front seven experience. The secondary returns a handful of players, but the defensive line and linebackers are mostly new.
Head coach: Yusuf Shakir
Career: First season at Manatee (79-41 in 10 seasons at Tallahassee Lincoln and St. Petersburg Gibbs)
Needs a big season from: Running game
Josh Booker’s freakish weightlifting, coupled with the lightning track speed from other potential ball carriers, will pose a formidable task for any opposing defense to scheme against.
Keyon Fordham, who averaged 10.5 yards per carry in eight games as a sophomore, is expected to play more as a slot receiver this season. However, he’ll probably get some carries, too.
Sir Williams, who quarterbacked Manatee’s freshman team a few seasons ago, is expected to take snaps this fall as a senior.
The two are members of the acclaimed Manatee 4x100 relay track team, and the speedsters provide options for the new Hurricanes head coach Yusuf Shakir’s offensive plays.
“That’s a plus for us,” Shakir said. “Hopefully we can get some movement up front and get some things going.”
Shakir said he has to see how his offensive line comes together every season.
That unit is key in providing holes for the backs to plow through or mobile quarterbacks — whether it’s Williams or Bayshore High transfer Ryan O’Neill that becomes the starter — to slide past defenders.
“If we can run the ball, that’s going to make it easy on our quarterback,” Shakir said. “Anytime you’ve got a run game, that makes it easier on every quarterback.”
Schedule breakdown
Who’s in: Lakeland, Braden River
Who’s out: Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.), Southeast
Upgrade: The Hurricanes added a more difficult non-district path toward the playoffs with Braden River, while traditional state power Lakeland provides a big opening week test. Win the district, and the Canes won’t have to worry about late-season math.
Impact newcomer
Brett Gerber, Sr., linebacker
He led Manatee County in tackles with 163 as a junior at Bradenton Christian. He should provide a jolt to an inexperienced linebacker unit after transferring to Manatee, a team that struggled defensively against playoff-caliber competition in 2016. Gerber, though, must wait to get his crack at Class 8A football. A week after committing to Ivy League program Yale, Gerber suffered a foot injury that’s expected to hold him out the first couple weeks of the 2017 season.
Jason Dill: 941-745-7017, @Jason__Dill
2017 schedule
Games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted
Aug. 25 | Lakeland |
Sept. 1 | at Palmetto |
Sept. 8 | Braden River |
Sept. 15 | Lithia Newsome* |
Sept. 22 | at Lutz Steinbrenner* |
Sept. 28 | at Tampa Alonso*, 7 p.m. |
Oct. 6 | Palm Harbor University* |
Oct. 13 | at Sarasota Riverview* |
Oct. 20 | Riverview* |
Nov. 3 | Venice |
*-Class 8A-District 6 game
2016 results
Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) | L, 78-56 |
Palmetto | W, 7-3 |
Venice | L, 42-7 |
Tampa Alonso | W, 44-0 |
Lutz Steinbrenner | W, 55-7 |
Palm Harbor University | W, 55-17 |
Sarasota Riverview | L, 42-33 |
Riverview | W, 49-14 |
Lithia Newsome | W, 63-41 |
Southeast | W, 42-24 |
Class 8A playoffs | |
Orlando Dr. Phillips | L 39-7 |
This story was originally published August 23, 2017 at 7:35 AM with the headline "Manatee football preview 2017: Hurricanes enter new coaching era."