The Holy Trinity Tigers have a myriad of reasons to be excited about spring football practice starting up this month.
The Tigers are coming off the first 10-win season in program history, and that was with 14 starters who were in the eighth or ninth grade.
Not only will all those players now have a year of experience under their belt -— not to mention being bigger and stronger — but Holy Trinity’s top offensive weapon, Dayday Farmer, will only be a junior.
Spring practice is set to begin April 25 with the Tigers holding what coach Nate Hooks Jr. is calling a “showcase” May 19. Holy Trinity and other participating teams will play two quarters against two different teams with college coaches expected to be in attendance.
While most football programs have been putting their players through winter workouts in preparation for the spring, the Tigers haven’t had a full contingent … but not because the players don’t want to be there.
“The good thing about it is those guys on the football team are playing something else,” Hooks said. “That’s perfect. It doesn’t bother me. We’re not doing winter workouts, but we’re benefiting from the players playing other sports. That makes it a good thing.
“When we start on the 25th, we’re going to be exciting. The offense is going to be unbelievable.”
Farmer, who has caught 96 passes for 1,751 yards and 26 touchdowns his first two seasons, will have a new quarterback in 2022.
Rising sophomore Jay Latson and rising junior Cole McNab will enter the spring as the leading candidates to take over as the Tigers new signal caller.
But as Hooks said, it all starts up front.
Rising junior Nate Jennings leads the group that includes rising senior Greyson Reynolds and rising senior Layden Brunger.
Jaquez Joiner, a rising sophomore, has already added 20 pounds to his 6-foot-3 frame, putting him at 260 pounds.
Another rising sophomore, Brandon Brown, will be a load at H-back. He goes 6-2 and 240 pounds.
Under a realignment voted on and approved by the FHSAA earlier this year, the state has been split into Metro and Suburban classifications. Holy Trinity is set play in Class 1S, District 4 with MCC, Father Lopez and Halifax Academy.
Although the schedule hasn’t been finalized, the Tigers plan to play a lot of Brevard County teams, which is why Hooks wants to ensure his team is ready to go.
“I want us to be clicking on all cylinders in the spring, almost like we’re ready to go to the fall because the fall is going to be … we’re bumping that schedule up a little bit,” Hooks said.
