2023 fall camp: Atlantic football takes aim with plan to beat St. Thomas Aquinas

DELRAY BEACH — Sharing a region with 14-time state champion St. Thomas Aquinas has dulled the excitement of preseason camp for Atlantic football since 2019, but the Eagles are out to rewrite the FHSAA's script and introduce a new title-holder in 2023.

"We're tired of just going there and getting beat every year," said junior Lincoln Graf, preparing for his third season as the Class 3M squad's starting quarterback.

"We're trying to beat St. Thomas. Not just get to St. Thomas."

This fall, about 65 pairs of hopeful eyes are looking to first-year coach Jamelle Murray to help the program make history with its first win over the Aquinas Raiders.

"Every week," Graf said. "I'm not with losing this year."

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The no-bull mentality laid down by Murray could be the difference that drives Atlantic to December after an 8-4 run to the region semifinals in 2022.

"The only reason we're here is to play football. If anybody starts messing around, they're not going to be on this team," Graf said.

"It's just the little things. Everything we do, we have discipline. With coach Murray — like the weight room, getting off the field, even getting our pads from the locker room — there's a certain way you've got to do it and if you're not with it, you're going to get left behind."

That was proven by a chinstrap mishap detected as players took a knee to close out practice. Immediately and without objection, teammates ran to the corner of the practice field to wait for the go-ahead to start their penalty lap.

"When I'm bringing them up at the end of practice, we're toeing the line. That signifies that we don't want to go offsides — just trying to connect small pieces to the actual game," Murray said.

"If we want to have a chance at playing St. Thomas and going down there, we have to be ready for those types of games and just being focused."

As St. Thomas Aquinas aims for its fifth consecutive state title, here are four things to know about Atlantic before the Eagles attempt to exact revenge on the Raiders this fall:

Getting to know the man with the plan

One of 11 Palm Beach County hires made during the offseason, Murray had already gained the respect of the Eagles as the team's wide receivers coach before taking the seat of former head coach Jamael Stewart.

"We're just different personalities. He's very fun, outgoing, happy. I am, too. I just take a few things a little bit more serious, that's all, but he did a great job with the program and he's taking care of his family now," Murray said.

Atlantic hasn't had "to reinvent the wheel" since the exit of longtime coach T.J. Jackson, who stepped down on a high note in 2021 after the Eagles' tri-county state championship victory. He's since worked on staff at Charleston Southern in South Carolina, and is now serving as an assistant coach at Bethune-Cookman.

"We talk every day. We talked this morning actually," Murray said on Tuesday, grateful to still have Jackson as a resource to "implement what he started" in Delray.

Atlantic started making its game plan to topple the Raiders when workouts began in June.

"We already know our season is for one night in November," Murray said. "You have to go down and see St. Thomas no matter what seed you are. We know that we're going to play that game, so let's just prepare for it now."

This summer, Murray's biggest mission has been getting his team to understand that every game, from the Kickoff Classic against Palm Beach Central to Week 5 at Cardinal Newman, is "an aspect of St. Thomas."

"We always have athletes. It's just to get them to hone in and understand exactly what you have to do."

Weapons with stars and even more under-the-radar

Each year, a number of Atlantic players depart for other programs, frustrated with their recruitment being stunted by meetings with St. Thomas Aquinas, according to Atlantic staffers.

Three-star corner Tavius Horne joined the rival Raiders after facing them for Atlantic's 63-14 loss in 2022. Receiving yards leader Kamare Williams left for Class 1M state champ Chaminade-Madonna before becoming the second four-star option for Class 4M state semifinalist Palm Beach Central. The room also lost Preston Parker Jr. to the Broncos and Devon Byrd to local private-school power Cardinal Newman.

"When they left, I just put all my time into my guys I have here. The time I put in over the summer, the spring, and now the fall, we really can do something dangerous," Graf said.

In addition to posting 100-plus yard rushing performances, three-star UMass RB commit Da'Marion Alberic — one of 25 seniors — is an option for a deep-dealing Graf, along with Ja'Darius Patterson, Mark Hanniford and Jaden Williams.

Despite the handful of touted transfers lost, Murray's been excited to see players who stayed reunited with "friends they grew up with like Jay'Vier Johnson, another receiver who returned to Atlantic from The Benjamin School, and Dillard High arrival Marlon Huff.

"He's one of the kids that we see around the neighborhood," Murray said of Huff. "He's from home. He's from here."

"He's going to be able to play linebacker for us and also the end because he's highly recruited at that as well."

Trenches 'biggest piece' for Atlantic in 2023

A 6-foot-3, 230-pound Huff will be on the D-line alongside fellow 2024 recruit Jayden Parrish, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker committed to Florida State. The touted three-star will also be another critical piece for the Eagles on the ground after leading the run game with eight touchdowns last fall.

Graf is still learning all names of Atlantic's freshmen, but he made sure to ask Murray about the one giving the offense a "tough time" following the team's second day of padded practice.

"He's giving me a hug every other play," Graf said of lineman Jamir Johnson.

Fortunately, when game time comes, QB1 will have the security of Norris "Big Nasty" Brinkley, a 6-foot-5, 340-pound right tackle. Junior starter Kymani Santos will also be back on both sides of the ball, weighing in at 6-foot-2, 290 pounds.

"I think our trenches are really good and I think that's what people don't know about us right now, but they'll see towards the season," Murray said.

2023 schedule makes Atlantic tougher for STA

Classification: 3M Region 3 District 9

All games scheduled for 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Kickoff Classic: 8/17 vs. Palm Beach Central

8/25 at Palm Beach Gardens

9/1 at Monarch, 7 p.m.

9/8 vs. North Miami Beach

9/14 vs. Boca Raton

9/22 at Cardinal Newman, 7 p.m.

9/29 Bye

10/6 vs. Pahokee

10/13 at Seminole Ridge

10/20 vs. Dwyer

10/27 at Glades Central

11/3 vs. Santaluces

Emilee Smarr is the high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 2023 fall camp: Atlantic 'tired' of state champion St. Thomas Aquinas