Lakewood Ranch’s new coach has a military background. He’s bringing a disciplined approach.

The Lakewood Ranch High football program had a new piece of equipment for fall camp.

Colloquially named a blaster, the device consists of a metal frame with two rows of adjustable arms on each side. The height, angle, position and resistance of each inward arm is adjustable.

If ball carriers do everything exactly right – stay low, lead with their shoulder pads and keep them square, drive with their legs and keep a firm grasp on the ball – as they run through the frame (and arms), the blaster is rather routine. If players don’t do everything exactly right, the results are awkward, embarrassing or a little bit painful.

The Mustangs also have a human version of the blaster this year: First-year coach Chris Culton, a longtime assistant coach at the U.S. Naval Academy, is bringing the Navy’s three-part approach to football (and life): moral, mental and physical.

“I am looking for guys with grit,” Culton said. “You can measure a 40 time. You can measure height and weight. You can measure bench (presses). But you can’t measure grit. ... There are guys I have my eyes on, but I’ve seen some pretty Cadillacs that run like a Yugo, and some old pickup trucks that people never put oil in yet they run and run and run for years. That is grit, and I want Lakewood Ranch players to have grit.”

Culton insists he knows what he is looking for from the Mustangs. When he gets it, the game and life are rather routine. When he doesn’t, well, the entire varsity spent most of a half hour during one August afternoon practice doing sprints in response to repeated fumbles while working on a basic pitch play.

As a result, Culton is reluctant to talk about starters, stars or newcomers to watch because a handful of weeks on a practice field can’t tell him as much as a few quarters under Friday night’s lights. It is entirely likely some Week 1 starters will not be starting come Week 3.

“I am excited to get started and see what kind of guys we have, see how they react under the pressure and get a little more time to install what we are going to be doing and install our culture here.”

If the Mustangs do everything exactly right, the first winning season since 2014 is possible, even with Venice, Braden River and Palmetto on the schedule. If they don’t …

What to watch for in 2018

It should come as no surprise, given Culton’s background at Navy and Georgia Southern, that the Mustangs will adopt the triple option. The goal is to become a nightmare for defenses that have only a week to prepare.

“We are going to force people to play assignment football, and if you want to force people to play assignment football, you have to play it yourself,” Culton said. “So there is a level of discipline we need to have. We are going to present problems for teams with our numbers advantage, and I am excited about that.”

Also worth following is the defensive alignment the Mustangs settle on.

Culton said the 3-4 will be the team’s base defense, but don’t be surprised if other alignments show up regularly. Former DeSoto County coach Matt Egloff is the defensive coordinator.

“I am not looking for the three best linemen or the best four linebackers,” Culton said. “I want the best 11 players we have on defense, and we will fit the system to who those 11 are. When the first game comes, we’ll see who the best 11 are regardless of whether we have three, four or five down linemen.”

What can go right

The offensive line, led by senior John Riley and junior Stefano Lonardo, lives up to expectations and paves the way for a productive running attack. That would lead to more than the 94 points scored last year and improve time of possession numbers, thereby helping the defense improve on the 242 points allowed a year ago.

“I am excited about our offensive line,” Culton said. “Hopefully, they can duplicate what they’ve done on the practice field on the game field. But I don’t want to put any pressure on a particular position group.”

Kicker Travis Freeman steals one or two wins. The senior is one of the top kickers in the area, and he has 50-yard-plus range on field goals. He gives the Mustangs an option many teams don’t have when a drive stalls or the clock runs out.

What can go wrong

Lakewood Ranch must replace its entire starting linebacker corps. And, on paper, the secondary has the most potential returning players, but if the front seven can’t stop teams from running, that potential strength is minimized.

The Mustangs can’t cut down on turnovers, penalties and mental mistakes that have been problems in the past.

Difference-makers

Senior Drake Theriot, who had been a linebacker, moves into a featured role on offense.

“We’ve moved him to fullback,” Culton said. “He is a big kid at 6-foot-3, 210; he could be a special player. I have my eyes on him.”

Either George Davis or Cooper Corley is going to start at quarterback. If it is Davis, Corley will be a receiver.

Regardless of who starts, both seniors will play both sides of the ball.

“They are our most athletic guys and they are going to be on the field,” Culton said. “It is all about decision making. Whoever makes the best decisions is going to play (QB). To me, it doesn’t matter about size, speed or strength. In this offense, it is all about decisions.”

The last word

“I want to win – just win,” Culton said. “I want people to pick up the Bradenton Herald and go, ‘Lakewood Ranch did WHAT?’ ”

Lakewood Ranch’s 2018 schedule

Aug. 24 vs. Cape Coral Ida Baker, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 31 at Bayshore, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Southeast, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 14 vs. Venice, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 21 at Spring Hill Springstead, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28 at North Port, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 vs. Palmetto, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 19 vs. Braden River, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 at Sarasota, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 2 vs. Arcadia DeSoto, 7:30 p.m.

This story was originally published August 17, 2018 at 12:26 PM.