'Everybody wants Pine Forest's head at this point': Can the Eagles maintain their recent success?

When Pine Forest first-year head coach Tony Carter was asked about key players for the Eagles, he lit up like a child on Christmas morning.

Carter couldn’t help but get excited naming off player after player, who he thinks is going to make an immediate impact – whether they’re new to the program, a younger player or a “familiar name” – heading into the 2023 season.

“I can name 25 of them,” Carter quickly said.

Milton Team Preview: Milton football enters 2023 with a quarterback battle, new training programs and a more experienced defense

Navarre Team Preview: Navarre aims to "take the next step" following best season in four years.

Gulf Breeze Team Preview: Gulf Breeze football has new coach, scheme and culture

It’s easy to see why Carter, who was Navarre’s running backs coach since 2009, got so energetic in his response.

The Eagles, who finished fifth in the state Class 3S football rankings last year on MaxPreps, went undefeated in the regular season and garnered the No. 1 seed in Region 1 for the state playoffs. Ultimately, Pine Forest was upset by No. 5 Choctawhatchee in the regional semifinals, ending a season where the Eagles were a favorite for the state title.

But it’s a new coaching staff with several new players, and Carter isn’t feeling any additional pressure.

“A lot of those guys that were starters last year are gone. I’m not going to put pressure on myself because it means that I’m comparing myself to the people that were here before me,” Carter said. “Those guys are great in their own right, and they accomplished what they accomplished. I admire them for what they’ve done. Now I have to do things to the best of my ability.”

The players don’t have any additional pressure either. Senior Jonathan Daniels, who’s committed to Florida State University, said there’s “some growing to do,” but the coaching staff is “making sure (they’re) doing that.”

“Everybody wants Pine Forest’s head at this point. We’re not worried about anybody,” Daniels said. “We play one team at a time. We’re going to win and keep going.”

Replacing and reloading

Pine Forest lost its three top receivers due to graduation: Donielle Hayes (now at the University of Minnesota), Has’shawn Hackworth and Deontae Reinhardt. Hayes had the bulk of the Eagles’ receiving yards, gaining 743 yards with nine touchdowns. Hackworth added 300 yards with three touchdowns, while Reinhardt had 200 yards and two touchdowns.

The Eagles also lost a lot of rushing yards between T.J. Wilson (758 yards, 14 touchdowns) and Zhimer Brown (530 yards, five touchdowns).

Pace Team Preview: After a season of close losses, Pace football seeks "vengeance"

Tate Team Preview: Building bonds, Aggies expect better results in second year under Summerford

Pensacola Team Preview: Can Pensacola football's large junior class bring success to the Tigers?

Wilson, who was the quarterback of the 2022 squad, had 1,615 yards and 16 touchdowns in the air.

At quarterback, Carter said the team is still “developing several guys” at quarterback. However, a few players are “neck-and-neck” for the starting job.

Carter mentioned senior James Clark, who’s a good passer; senior Zac Purdom, who’s “good at improvisation” and will also be a Swiss army knife for the Eagles; and Zakavius Andrews, a freshman “but he works his tail off. He’s got it about him.” Andrews, Carter added, has “a little bit of the total package,” but he’s still young.

“It’s probably going to go down to gameday to see which one has a better command of the offense,” Carter said.

The Eagles return their leading rusher, Miequle Brock, who’s now a senior. Brock gained 890 yards on the ground last season with nine touchdowns. He also had 134 receiving yards and a touchdown.

While it is “hopefully … going to be a new look” for the Pine Forest offense, aiming for a more balanced offense between running and pass.” But that offensive stile is going to be “a spread, wide-open attack.”

“We’re going to toss it around than you’ve ever seen Pine Forest do,” Carter said. “We do have a lot of talent at wide receiver with guys working hard.”

Between Ty'jawan Stabler – a wide receiver that “is a hard working kid,” Carter said – Tyquan Hunter, and a few others, Carter has high hopes for the offensive side of the team. Stabler is on a mission, however.

“I want to get over 700 yards and get my first offer,” he said. “Besides me, I just want to make sure this team is best as it can be before I leave.”

‘No-fly zone’

Pine Forest also lost a lot of defense between graduating seniors and a transfer, namely Ryan McVay, who joined Escambia this season.

But Carter has the “utmost confidence” in his secondary this season, especially with the coaching of Kadetrix Marcus, now the team’s defensive coordinator. “They’re learning the communication that goes along with (the defense),” Carter said.

Escambia Team Preview: Veteran defense and promising offense has Escambia geared for another winning season in 2023

Washington Team Preview: Booker T. Washington football coaches have challenged their team to 'sink or swim.' Can the Wildcats stay above water?

Carter highlighted Xavier Thompson (37 tackles, 4 interceptions), Latrell McGhee (27 tackles, 2 interceptions), C.J. Hill (37 tackles), Ja’den Rawls (30 tackles, 2 interceptions), Ja’len Rawls and C.J. Floyd (35 tackles) as part of the team’s defensive backs squad.

All of those players transferred to Pine Forest this season. Thompson, Hill, and the Rawls twins all came from Pensacola Catholic. McGhee transferred in from Navarre. Floyd initially transferred to Pensacola Catholic in the spring, but returned to Pine Forest for the 2023 season.

“Even the limited 7 on 7s that we’ve done, and the only thing that has ever beat us, has been minor communication. Once we get that communication down, it’s going to be tough to put a ball in the air against us,” Carter said. “We’ve got a no-fly zone with our secondary.”

Floyd noted the coaching of Marcus – who the players call “Coach J.J.” – given who came before the current secondary, with names like Martin Emerson (Cleveland Browns), Devon Witherspoon (Seattle Seahawks) and DeCarrion McWilliams (University of Alabama-Birmingham).

“(Marcus) has been here since my freshman year,” Floyd said. “Just giving all of us the game he gave to those guys. … It’s about taking the teaching and being coachable.”

‘Attitude is everything’

Despite recent success with Pine Forest, Stabler said there has been one thing missing from its coaching: focus on the discipline side.

Carter has brought in a new mentality into the season, with players focusing on their attitude. The team’s motto this year is “attitude is everything.”

“I want them to take control of their own success, and also take control of their own failure. Attitude is everything. If you say something sucks, it’s probably going to suck,” Carter said. “Attitude is how you think about something, how you feel about something, how it dictates your behavior toward that thing. If you can control your thoughts, you can also control your feelings and behavior.”

Jay Team Preview: Jay football focused on finishing games in Watson's second year at the helm

Northview Team Preview: 2023 Team Preview: Following a state runner-up finish, what will Northview do for an encore?

Carter is also putting effort into the players off the football field. Stabler and Daniels both noted that Carter is “working with (them) being better men.”

“I just want them to know that it’s possible for them to be successful in life. Improve their school grade, pass the graduation requirements, go to college or get industry certifications. Just become better members of society, better young men,” Carter said. “That way, they can always set goals for themselves and take the lessons that football can teach you. In the game of football, it’s not just about scoring touchdowns, kicking field goals and tackling. It teaches you leadership, responsibility, accountability, teamwork – all those good things that get lost in the translation on game day.”

Stabler said that leading up to Pine Forest’s loss to Choctawhatchee, a 30-29 defeat, the squad had some “discipline problems.”

“We’ve already got the talent. We just need more discipline,” Stabler said. “If we erase all that, this will be one of the best teams in the state.”

With the help of a lot of coaches who returned to Pine Forest in Carter’s first year, it’s been “pretty smooth sailing” and a virtually “seamless” transition from coach Ronnie Douglas to Carter.

There were some players where it took longer for them to buy in to what Carter was preaching, he said, but he’s a “patient guy.” Carter also noted the support of the school administration at Pine Forest. “It really makes my job that much easier,” he added.

“I’m trying to get them to win everything that they do, not just football. Wake up with the mindset to win the day. Win in the classroom. Win at home. Win in the community. Then, understand how that can translate to winning on the football field,” Carter said. “I never really look at it as, ‘Wow, I’m the head coach.’ It’s about the purpose and not the position. I don’t really care what you call me. You can call me the head coach, you can call me the football coach, whatever coach you want to call me. I just want the best for these young men. I’m really not enamored with the name of the position, to be honest. I just want what’s best for these young men, and to be able to be put into a position to do what’s best for them.”

Pine Forest Eagles

District: 1-3S

Coach: Tony Carter (first season as head coach)

Last Year: 10-1 (4-0 district); lost in region semifinals to Choctawhatchee

Key Players: Jonathan Daniels, OL, Sr.; Miequle Brock, RB, Sr.; Zion Legree, QB/RB, Soph.; R.J. Payne, MLB, Soph.; Ty’jawan Stabler, WR, Sr.; Tyquan Hunter, RB/SS, Sr.; Xavier Thompson, CB, Jr.; Charleston Floyd, DB, Jr.; Ja’len Rawls, WR/SS, Jr.; Ja’den Rawls, ATH/SS, Jr.

Key Losses: Ryan McVay (transferred), T.J. Wilson, Donielle Hayes, Zhimer Brown

Regular Season Schedule

8/25: at Tate

9/1: vs. Navarre

9/8: at Pensacola

9/15: at Choctawhatchee

9/22: at West Florida

9/29: vs. Fort Walton Beach

10/6: at Niceville

10/13: at IMG Academy

10/20: vs. Escambia

10/27: at Booker T. Washington

Bye Week

Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on Twitter (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pine Forest football starts new era with head coach Tony Carter