The Navarre Varsity Football Team is coached by 4th year head coach Jay Walls. In his tenure as head coach, Navarre accumulated a 28-9 record and reached the state playoffs for the last three years. Last year, the Raiders were 9-3 and runners-up in the district after winning the District 2-6A title in 2012 and 2013. In 2012, the Raiders attained their best record when they made the third round in the Florida state playoffs and compiled a 12-2 record.
The 2015 lineup of the black and maroon Raiders are experienced with 23 seniors on the roster and 13 returning starters on offense, defense and special teams.
Players to watch when Navarre has the ball include Michael Carter (7) and Hasaan Williams (14) at running back, Brent Short (74) will be in the middle of the offensive line at center. Nick Brahms (68) and Corey Capenia (73) will play left and right guards respectively. Aaron Mitchell (5), Michael Sandle (12), Octavien Moyer (3), Tommy Leggett (1) and Jordan Ewing (6) at receiver. Nathan McMaster (32) and Tyler Rebber (18) will play a hybrid tight end. On defense, Anthony Miller (99) and Tyler Morton (62) will be the heart of the defensive line. Bo Herring (56), Xavier Fernandez (25), Jay Klosinsky (28), Teddy Harrell (19) will be a very talented line backing corps and Ryan Diamco (16) at safety. Carter RB/C, H. Williams, RB/C, Mitchell, Sandle R/C and Leggett R/S will see playing time on both sides of the ball. Senior Brady Hamell (11) will handle kickoffs, field goals and extra points and Octavian Moyer will punt.
Navarre opens their season playing the Dothan (AL) Tigers in Dothan on August 21st. August 28th vs Pensacola Catholic (home), September 4th at Booker T Washington in Pensacola, September 18th vs Choctawhatchee at home, September 25th at Fort Walton Beach, October 2nd vs Pace (home), October 9th vs Escambia (home), October 16th at Milton High School, October 30th at Gulf Breeze and the regular season ends November 6th in Bennett C. Russell Stadium, Navarre vs the Niceville Eagles.
On offense the Raiders will continue to play from the spread formation, which has proven very successful in previous years. They are a predominantly run-oriented team but will throw the ball to multiple receivers both underneath and over the top to stretch the defense. With the loss of 2-year starter Matt Webb at quarterback, Navarre senior Caine Adamson and sophomore Sage Chambers will battle for the starting signal caller position. Both players have their own strengths in the spread offense and have the skills to run or throw the ball in the option. Michael Carter returns as the Raiders’ leading rusher with 744 yards and an 8.2 yards per play average. Although Navarre lost their leading receiver Quinton Randolph (62 catches in 2014), this year’s lineup of wide receivers are deep, talented and hard-working. The offensive line returns 3 of 5 starters paving the way in 2014 for their running backs to pile up 2,160 yards and an average of 6.3 yards per play. The offense likes to run an up-tempo, no-huddle offense that scored 412 points in 2014.
The 2014 Raider defense held opponents to a 252 points and this year’s defense will be Navarre’s strength again. They will line up in a base 3-4 defense. The linebackers will be the strength of a stingy defense with four young players who all have varsity experience. Junior Xavier Fernandez returns as the leading tackler from 2014 with 125 total tackles, followed by Junior Bo Herring, who had 109 and Senior Tommy Leggett who had 98 stops last year. Anthony Miller led the team in tackles for loss (TFL) with 19 of his 91 total tackles. Like all Navarre Raider teams, this defense will be a blue collar, hard-working group that swarms the ball and looks forward to meeting the football head on.
With Coach Walls, varsity coaches include: Assistant Head Coach Greg Taylor, Garrett Bagley, Greg Greenhaw, Joe Surratt, Brandon Lawson, Klint Lay, Tony Carter and Brian Brinsfield.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 2015 Navarre High Varsity Football spotlight