2023 Brevard HS football preseason blog
We are in the second week of Brevard County high school football practices, and our team-by-team Tour of Brevard that looks at each school in the county started and continues every day except Saturday.
Follow along here for photos, team updates, stories and video throughout the preseason.
Aug. 10, 2023
Aug. 9, 2023
Our fourth player on the 321preps Dandy Dozen list of top senior high school football recruits is at Cocoa. Today we look at Loren Ward, an FAU commit.
321preps Dandy Dozen: Cocoa's Loren Ward brings consistency to D-line
Aug. 8, 2023
Tour of Brevard team previews
Today on the Tour of Brevard, we visit the Holy Trinity Tigers, in their second season with former Merritt Island coach Hurlie Brown. the Tigers reached the playoffs last season and are still a young team.
Tour of Brevard: Holy Trinity Tigers 2023 football
Here is the 2023 Brevard HS football schedule
Plan your season week by week with the 2023 schedule. Preseason games are Aug. 17-18, and the regular season begins on Aug. 25.
Aug. 7, 2023
We present the second Rockledge High player in a row for our next 321preps Dandy Dozen list of the top high school football senior recruits in the area.
The hard-hitting linebacker has put up big numbers in the middle of the Raiders defense, and it caught the attention of recruiters. He has said he will sign with UCF.
321preps Dandy Dozen: Prolific D.J. McCormick is Rockledge hitting machine
Aug. 4, 2023
Aug. 3, 2023
Melbourne looks to senior leadership
The Bulldogs took the field this afternoon on the fourth day of the first official week of practice.
With several players from last season moving on from the program after graduation, senior James Hinds said he and the other seniors on the team will step up and take a leadership role this season.
Hinds also expressed excitement about the young players on the team this year. Hear more from the lineman in the video above.
Big photo day
FLORIDA TODAY photographers spread out across Brevard County today for high school football photos. Check them out.
Aug. 2, 2023
Holy Trinity shifts later
The Tigers started at 5 p.m. today and already have more players than last season, which was the first under Hurlie Brown. Hear from returning Holy Trinity Brogan McNab in a video posted above.
Bears work with good weather Wednesday
Like many football teams across the county, rainy weather impacted Bayside at the start of the first official week of practice.
With the sun shining on the third day of practice, the Bears were able to take the field this afternoon and have a normal practice as they prepared for their week one matchup against Palm Bay.
Defensive end Brock Eden said it felt amazing to take the field and get into the mood of playing football. Hear more from Eden in the video above.
Heading south for the next player on the 321preps Dandy Dozen: Tayshawn Benson
Our next 321preps Dandy Dozen player is an electric running back for Heritage High. The third player will be revealed Friday, when we showcase one of the Rockledge Raiders.
321preps Dandy Dozen: Tayshawn Benson's experience and versatility back for Heritage
Aug. 1, 2023
July 31, 2023
Stormy afternoon shortens practices
Brevard County high school football and thunderstorms intersect often, and they didn't wait long in 2023. A swiftly moving storm rolled through and set off several lightning detectors in the area.
Eau Gallie got about an hour in before the alarm chased the Commodores inside. This season, the 17 starters who were freshmen or sophomores last season are a year older as the team faces a schedule with nine 2022 playoff teams. Check out the video above to hear from center Chavez Thompson, one of those juniors and a University of Oregon commit.
Panthers beat the weather
The Heritage Panthers took the field around 3:30 p.m. on the first official day of the 2023 football season under the leadership of first-year head coach Mykel Benson.
Heritage had a team camp earlier this summer, where Benson said he was able to get a good look at the team ahead of this week. His plan for the week was to expand upon what the team did at camp.
"It's really not a first week of practice for us, because we went to team camp the week before last, so we are just kind of picking up where we started off coming from team camp," Benson said. "It's more so just cleaning up the things we had seen at team camp and really just getting this team to gel even more from what we've seen."
New Panthers leader: Benson focusing on culture as new Heritage High football head coach
Raiders early on the field
Rockledge High continued its tradition of morning practices today, making 9 a.m. its starting time. The Raiders wrapped up around 11:30 with a few sprints. Check back here for more notes and a photo gallery.
Most area teams hold afternoon practices today and through the week. We will be at several of those today, with more notes, photos and video. Watch for those updates this evening.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @321preps and online at 321preps.com.
Bayside's Miller one of five new area head coaches
Read about new Bears head coach Billy Miller and his coaching influences here. They include several area coaches and his own high school coach from South Carolina.
Bears new top coach: Bayside's Billy Miller credits his HS coach as top influencer
Other new head coaches are Logan Hallock at Astronaut, Bayside's Mykel Benson, and two who aren't new to the county: Dan Burke of Palm Bay and MCC coach Nate Hooks.
Who's coaching where in 2023? A guide to Brevard County's 16 high school football coaches
321preps Dandy Dozen: DayDay Farmer headed to Pitt Panthers
We began our 321preps Dandy Dozen of the top high school senior football recruits on Sunday with one of our most highly recruited: DayDay Farmer of Melbourne Central Catholic.
321preps Dandy Dozen: MCC's DayDay Farmer flashes diverse game
The former Holy Trinity and FHSAA champion Cocoa receiver has committed to sign with Pitt. He's at MCC with new head coach Nate Hooks, formerly the Holy Trinity head coach.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 2023 Brevard HS football preseason blog by 321preps and FLORIDA TODAY
