Northeast Florida is ready for some football: 2023 high school practice kicks off Monday

It's finally here.

Monday means the new high school sports season is officially on for Northeast Florida, the first day permitted for preseason practice in fall sports under Florida High School Athletic Association regulations.

Officially, midnight Monday marks the start of the new 2023-24 season — and, for some players around Florida, the start of actual practice.

Oakleaf announced a midnight madness practice for the stroke of 12:01 a.m. Monday, the school's first fall session under new head coach Christopher Foy. Midnight kickoffs are nothing new for Foy, who was part of a similar tradition going back to his time at Jackson and Fletcher.

Whatever the start time, more than 50 schools across the area are beginning their chase for gridiron victories, in the second year of the FHSAA's metro-suburban system for football. It's also a new start for close to 20 football teams that have changed coaches from last year.

Under FHSAA rules, workouts in full pads must wait until the end of the week.

Football isn't the only sport that opens Monday: Volleyball, bowling, cross country, golf and swimming also begin their preseasons this week.

Welcome to Media Day: New coaches, big expectations and more in high school football

Bucs' Tisdale now future Hilltopper

When First Coast opens practice Monday, they'll officially have a Division I-committed quarterback in the squad.

Quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. announced his commitment Friday to Western Kentucky football, the latest Buccaneer to confirm his college destination.

Last year, Tisdale helped the Buccaneers back to the Florida High School Athletic Association playoffs after a seven-year absence, completing 146 of 230 passes for 1,873 yards and 18 touchdowns. At 6-2, 180 pounds, he had several other offers including Georgia Southern and Florida Atlantic.

Northeast Florida has been fertile territory for the Hilltoppers: Returning as starting quarterback is St. Augustine's Austin Reed, the national leader in yards passing with 4,744 in 2022.

'People movers' to move Fleming Island

Fleming Island's line means business in 2023.

That's the early message from Golden Eagles head coach Chad Parker, now on the west side of the St. Johns River after a long stint as assistant to Darrell Sutherland at Bartram Trail.

Three-year starter Braden Cunningham, a 315-pounder committed to Florida Atlantic, anchors the front for a Golden Eagles team that missed out on the postseason after a 5-4 finish in 2022.

If the line performs up to expectations, the backfield should thrive. Although the Golden Eagles must replace 2022 Super 11 running back Samuel Singleton, now entering his freshman year at Florida State, they'll return junior quarterback Cibastian Broughton (2,630 yards through two seasons) and several promising running backs.

"I love what I see from everybody, but the O-line is really buying in," Parker said. "They're big, big, big humans and they're people-movers and they're doing big things."

Baldwin's Carter continues climb

Perhaps no player in Northeast Florida saw his recruitment take off over the spring quite like Baldwin edge rusher Mason Carter.

Carter was effective as a junior — 43 tackles, three fumble recoveries, plus a handful of carries and receptions on offense — but through workouts and camp performances, he elevated himself into the ranks of serious prospects. He drew more than 15 offers in the spring, committing to SEC football at the start of July with Vanderbilt.

Not surprised, though, was Baldwin coach Robert Shields.

"As a 10th-grader, you looked at him and you're like, 'How skinny is he?' Then as a junior, we were trying to tell all the colleges, look, he's going to be the guy," Shields said. "Then finally, it's late in the game and they come by and they see him. He's put on 25 pounds of muscle since the end of the season."

Carter isn't just a football standout: He's also lined up for Baldwin basketball, and cleared 6 feet this spring in the high jump.

Bishop Kenny's Sexton commits to Navy

News arrived on Wednesday's Baker's Sports/Jaguars Prep Media Day, and for the second time in three years, it came courtesy of Bishop Kenny.

Linebacker Kolbe Sexton announced his commitment to play football at Navy. In 2020, Crusaders center Michael Myslinski committed to Texas on Media Day, although he subsequently switched to Iowa amid a coaching change at the Big 12 college.

Sexton led the District 2-2M champion Crusaders last year with 74 regular-season tackles and packed a wallop, forcing four fumbles. He's the team's second Navy commit in the class along with fellow senior Nash Beenen, a one-two combination that earned the praise of Bishop Kenny head coach Tim Krause.

"Those guys are dominant football players and really tough kids," Krause said. "So I think when you have those guys up the middle, you must feel really good."

Eighth-grade QB awaits NFEI chance

The youngest player ever at High School Media Day? That one isn't in the record books.

But... enter Cruz James, who's projected to line up at quarterback for North Florida Educational Institute this season as an eighth-grader. James is the latest of several recent eighth-grade varsity quarterbacks in Jacksonville, following Zarephath Academy's Jordan Martin-Durham -- now entering his fourth year as a starter -- and current Impact Christian freshman Hans Price.

While James is four years younger than many of the pass rushers that will be chasing him around the backfield, he's eagerly awaiting the opportunity to take the field for a schedule that includes state challengers like Trinity Christian and University Christian.

"It feels good," he said. "It's a little pressure, but I've been training my whole life for it and I've got trust in my teammates."

By the numbers

317: Career wins for Trinity Christian head coach Verlon Dorminey, entering his 33rd season.

34: Consecutive winning seasons for Bolles, a Class 2M semifinalist in 2022.

29: Touchdowns rushing in 2022 for current Bartram Trail senior Laython Biddle.

18: Coaching changes at football teams within the Times-Union's coverage area.

11: Prospects to be featured in the Times-Union's Super 11 later this month. Stay tuned.

9: Shutouts in 2022 — seven in the regular season, two in the playoffs — for Bradford, a school record.

5: Area teams to win 10 or more games last year (Bartram Trail, Bradford, Suwannee, Trinity Christian and University Christian).

0: The number of Jacksonville-area teams that qualified for an FHSAA state final in 2022, the first time the area got shut out since 2000.

Key FHSAA dates

July 31: Start of preseason practice, non-contact only

Aug. 5: First date of practice with contact

Aug. 17-19: Preseason kickoff classics

Aug. 25: First day of regular season football

Nov. 3: Final day of regular season football

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school football: Jacksonville-area teams to begin practice Monday