Darlington makes DeLand football debut at Dr. Phillips
It appears little has changed in the three-plus years since Rick Darlington last coached a high school football game in Orange County.
The 3-time FHSAA state champion showcased some of what’s to come this fall while making his DeLand High School coaching debut Thursday during a spring jamboree at Dr. Phillips.
The gold and green of the Bull- dogs didn’t quite look the part, but there were shades of Darlington’s signature single-wing Apopka teams he coached before leaving for Enterprise High School in Alabama in December 2018.
Darlington accepted the DeLand job and returned to Florida nearly six months ago. He said arriving at the school was reminiscent of starting anew at Apopka, where he won state titles in 2001, 2012 and 2014 and finished runner-up in 2013.
“Just to get to play was exciting,” he said of wrapping up the spring season. “We saw some things we’ve got to improve on, but we’ve come a long way, not only on the field, but off the field. [Players] have gotten a lot better at being dependable and responsible, and they’ve become better students and better people.”
Rising junior quarterback TJ Moore made big plays as both a passer and rusher for the Bulldogs. Moore scored on a 10-yard run during a 21-12 win against Winter Haven. He later gave DeLand a 15-14 lead over Dr. Phillips on a 3-yard TD run with 1:46 to go.
DP rallied to win 21-15 after speedster Justin Stith, a rising senior and track star, took a swing pass and outraced defenders for his second TD with 35 seconds to go. Moore was sacked on the final play by rising junior Damien Jackson.
Rising sophomore Demontay Johnson and junior Javon Ross produced notable performances for DeLand. Johnson rushed for a 1-yard TD and Ross scored on a 27-yard run vs. Winter Haven. Ross added another touchdown against DP on an 8-yard carry and scored on a 2-point conversion.
Darlington’s youngest son, rising junior Wyatt Darlington, did a bit of everything while taking snaps out of the singlewing, catching passes out of the backfield and blocking for teammates.
Former Apopka players Zack Darlington and Dazzie Morris are among the new faces on DeLand’s coaching staff, which includes former Port Orange Spruce Creek defensive coordinator Mike Klein. Logan Hallock is the lone holdover from a team that finished 4-4.
On defense, rising senior Demarion Lewis intercepted a pass and chased Winter Haven’s QB from behind for a sack. Rising seniors E’Montay Williams and Jayden Lewis and sophomore Owen York also finished with sacks. Allen Reed made a hit at the goal line to halt a 2-point attempt.
“This is just Phase 2,” Darlington said of the program’s progress. “Phase 1 is the offseason from January to April where you’re teaching what you expect in the classroom, in the community, and in the weight room. Phase 2 is spring football, and I thought we did really well with that. Phase 3 is the summer and Phase 4 is the regular season, and if you do well at that, you get a Phase 5 [in the playoffs].
“That’s overtime,” he said with a laugh. “You don’t get Phase 5 unless you do well with the other ones.”
Panthers rebound
Dr. Phillips regrouped this spring after finishing 4-6 and missing the playoffs while facing the toughest strengthof-schedule in Class 8A and the sixth-toughest in the state, according to FHSAA RPI rankings. Narrow losses to eventual 4A state runner-up Cocoa and 8A runner-up Apopka ultimately kept DP from qualifying for the postseason.
“I’m always preaching to my kids that football is like life, and that one decision can change everything.” DP coach Rodney Wells said by phone early in the week. “It was a roller-coaster year, and those games could have gone either way. Every little thing matters. Every play, every rep, every sprint, and every lift matters. You never know when that play is going to happen.”
It’s a message that proved prophetic during Thursday’s spring outings. Early mistakes vs. Winter Haven led to a 16-0 loss. DP was intercepted in the red zone on its first drive before turning the ball over on downs on its next two possessions.
The Panthers ended up with plenty to celebrate after showing noticeable improvements during their rally past DeLand.
“We went out there pretty lax and got ahead of ourselves in that first game,” DP offensive tackle Payton Kirkland said. “But then coming out here and fighting for each other [against DeLand] shows this group of guys is really
dedicated. We’ve got a lot of pieces on this team, and together we could be something amazing.”
Rising sophomore quarterbacks Stanley Anderson and Bjorn Jurgensen have spent the spring working with new DP assistant coach Bill Daniel. Both showed potential while commanding the huddle and working through missed throws and dropped passes.
Rising juniors Adam Guzman and Seven Moorehead proved capable of taking the reins at running back after sharing time last fall with three other players. Moorehead scored on a 3-yard run. Guzman left the game vs. DeLand early with an injury and was replaced by Amani Major.
Rising junior Jowhar Franklin Jr. recorded a sack that forced a turnover on downs and Alfred Thomas forced a fumble against Winter Haven.
“This year I’ve got a lot of guys with a lot to prove,” said Wells, who led DP to the 2017 8A state title. “A lot of young guys are playing well. Chemistry is big with this group and they’re doing everything we’ve been asking of them.”
Blue Devils impress
For all the attention warranted by Rick Darlington’s return and the state of DP’s program, Winter Haven may have made the most of its spring sessions while under
the direction of a new coach in familiar surroundings.
Joseph Tarver threw 3 TD passes for the Blue Devils, including a 47-yarder to Roland Andrews vs. DeLand. Andrews also made a one-handed catch in the end zone against Dr. Phillips. Anthony Primavera turned a reception over the middle into a 64-yard score and Alfred Smothers broke multiple tackles during a 13-yard burst into the end zone.
Terrell Redding and Valuson Dorleans intercepted passes and Deshawin Westbrook had a sack on fourth down.
The Blue Devils, coming off of a 1-9 season, are in their first year
under James Thomson, a 2000 Dr. Phillips graduate and former DeLand head coach.
Thomson was a freshman when Wells was a senior at DP. He previously coached a spring game at his alma mater while serving as head coach at Gainesville High, where he led that program to a 6A state runner-up finish in 2012.
“Any chance I get to go back to that stadium and coach against Rodney, who I looked up to when I was a player, is always great,” Thomson said. “And I’ve looked up to Rick as a coach, so getting to share a field with them both is really cool.”
Thomson served one year as an offensive analyst at UCLA after finishing up a three-year stint at DeLand in 2015. He spent the past five seasons as a head coach in Georgia before accepting the Winter Haven position in December.
“It’s so refreshing to be back in Florida,” he said. “There’s something about the heat down here and the kids that’s just so nostalgic for me.”