Tour of Brevard: Titusville Terriers football 2023
There are benchmarks in the rebuilding process for any sports teams, and second-year Titusville High head football coach John Holmes keeps hitting them ahead of schedule.
After years of struggles, the Terriers won seven games last year and made the playoffs. That's a team that hadn't won more than two games since 2016.
Another benchmark was met in the off-season when star 6-foot-1 quarterback and overall athlete Josiah Allen stuck with the program in a state where players transfer at the first promise of something better or even different. Even more impressive, two players who live in the Titusville High area came back from the school they had played for last year.
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Plan your season: 2023 Week-by-Week Brevard HS football schedule
Fans at the preseason game against Eau Gallie had to have noticed one of them. Jamarion Stephens intercepted a pass in the end zone with an effort worthy of any highlight reel. He also made noise on offense on the rare occasions the Terriers were able to get in rhythm. Stephens rushed for 999 yards and seven touchdowns for Rockledge in 2022.
The Eau Gallie defense revealed the issues with the Terriers line, but that's what Holmes wanted from a game that didn't count.
"That was definitely needed," he said Monday. "We wanted to have a big hard test. It was a huge eye-opener. They just outmuscled us. They've got Division I (college football) offers across their line."
Meanwhile, 6-foot-3, 275-pound Titusville senior center Patrick Gibson is the only offensive line returnee and will need time to work his new teammates into form.
Defensively, Nate Lopez (65 tackles and seven sacks last year at Rockledge) is one of the neighborhood players back on campus, and he will start at middle linebacker and be "all over the field. He can play anywhere probably, and he's likely going to be a strong safety in college."
Outlook: Titusville celebrates the 40th anniversary of a state championship team this year, and it would be fitting for the team to get a postseason win for the first time this century. Despite the loss of offensive linemen, Holmes expressed optimism earlier this week.
"We will be better this year than we were last year," he said. "The guys that are young have more fire than the guys they replaced."
Head coach: Holmes begins his second season as head coach of the Terriers.
Returning stat leaders: Josiah Allen, Jr., 59-121 passing, 1,042 yards, 10 TDs, 12 INTs, 84 rushes-495 yards, 5 TDs; Alex Christian, Soph., 18 rushes-87 yards, 2 TDs, 11 rec.-116 yards, 1 TD; Camari Jackson, Soph., 18 rushes, 148 yards; Isaac Russell, Sr., 41 tackles, 3 sacks.
Postseason history: The Terriers returned to the playoffs last season after a seven-year absence. Playoff seasons: ’77, ’80, ’81, ’82’, ’83, ’84, ’88, ’95, ’14, ’22. Playoff record: 14-8. State finals: 1980 (Coach Al Werneke, 3A runner-up to Gainesville, 21-10, Draa Field), 1982 (Werneke, 3A state champion over Kissimmee Osceola, 33-0, Draa Field), 1983 (Werneke, 3A champion over Palatka, 28-21, Draa Field).
How we rank them: 321preps Top 10 in Brevard HS football
2023 Titusville Schedule
Aug. 25 at Satellite, 7
Sep. 1 Palm Bay, 7
Sep. 8 Centennial, 7
Sep. 14 at Oviedo, 6
Sep. 22 Merritt Island, 7
Sep. 29 at Viera, 7
Oct. 6 at Ft. Pierce Central, 7
Oct. 13 at Melbourne, 7
Oct. 27 Harmony, 7
Nov. 3 Bayside, 7
2022 Terriers Results
at Cocoa Beach W, 48-0
Yulee L, 26-21
Palm Bay L, 24-11
at MCC W, 59-3
Space Coast W, 40-0
Port Orange Atlantic W, 32-7
at Cocoa L, 47-0
at Holy Trinity W, 27-7
at Astronaut W, 34-0
Crescent City W, 35-15
at Palm Bay (2S regional quarter) L, 44-27
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Tour of Brevard: Titusville Terriers football 2023 preview
