High school football season is done, but offseason storylines abound

With state football games wrapping up in Orlando this weekend, the high school football season officially closed its curtain.

The seasons ended for Manatee County programs a few weeks ago.

And there are plenty of offseason storylines to pay attention to in the coming months leading into spring ball.

So let's dive right in:

Who is Braden River's next quarterback?

This question was raised in 2015 after the Pirates exited the playoffs with a loss to Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.

Jacob Huesman was a senior and left for Division I football at Appalachian State. Backup Nate Strawderman looked in line to get promoted, but Braden River received an IMG Academy transfer: Louis Colosimo. His breakout performance took place in October against Venice with 469 passing yards. However, Braden River must address the quarterback situation this offseason since Colosimo is a senior.

Backup Jake Hepler threw 10 passes in mop-up duty during Braden River blowouts in the fall, but he didn't throw any touchdowns and tossed three interceptions. So will he take the next step and become the guy for the Pirates, or will someone else emerge from either the junior varsity ranks or the transfer ranks ahead of spring ball?

How does Palmetto benefit from the new playoff format?

Time will tell. Locked in the top-heavy Class 7A-District 11 with Venice and Braden River, Palmetto has played third-fiddle the past two seasons.

The Tigers have to continue the cliche line of getting bigger, stronger and faster this offseason to compete with the Indians and Pirates. But they do get a chance to make the playoffs as a wild card moving forward.

Palmetto needs to win the big games, something the program has struggled with. Playing Manatee close this year registers as a moral victory, but doesn't equate to a playoff berth.

Schedules are being put together over the next couple of months, so how the Tigers elect to play the scheduling game will be most interesting.

Are staff changes coming at Manatee?

The Hurricanes boasted a formidable offense with some bright spots on defense, but the latter was a detriment to the Canes in pivotal games. From the outset, the Canes gave up 78 points in the season opener at Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.), which is the most allowed in Manatee’s storied history.

After the season, head coach John Booth said there weren’t any staff changes at the time. But correcting a defense that was gouged for 302 points, which is believed to be a program-worst mark, is a top priority. And that could mean new coaches for the defense in the next few months. It’s a wait-and-see game.

How does Saint Stephen's perform as the hunted?

After capturing its first Sunshine State Athletic Conference title, the Falcons are no longer chasing an elusive championship. Saint Stephen's is the team with a target on its back. If the Falcons stick with the SSAC, and head coach Tod Creneti gave no indication they’ll rejoin the Florida High School Athletic Association, Saint Stephen's will likely face everyone's best shot next season. Avoiding complacency will be the chief area to focus on this offseason, but the Falcons should be OK with quarterback Fred Billy still running the offense.

What marquee matchups await?

With the playoff format changing, it’s more than likely that the long awaited Braden River-Manatee game will become reality. But will that matchup come at the cost of seeing the annual Manatee-Southeast rivalry? The two-year cycle for contracts with teams ended this season. Whether that hinders programs such as Bayshore and Lakewood Ranch, which had difficult seasons, from lining up quality opponents remains to be seen.

Has Sarasota County passed Manatee County?

Sarasota Riverview’s victory at Manatee this season shocked many. Venice’s offense couldn't be contained in two wins against Braden River. The Indians also routed Manatee and Palmetto, despite the latter holding a lead at halftime. That begs the question of whether Sarasota County clubs have stepped past their neighbors in the 941 area. The Rams and Indians’ success don't necessarily mean that, but if the trend continues next season the answer likely becomes much clearer.

This story was originally published December 10, 2016 at 10:32 PM with the headline "High school football season is done, but offseason storylines abound."