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Football Notebook: Player Texting The New Trash Talking

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 21, 2007

Welcome to trash talking in the 21st century.

Gaither High football players have taken their trash talking to a whole new level - the phone. Saturday, Jefferson LB Gorby Loreus said he began getting text messages from a certain Cowboys running back, who will remain nameless (last name rhymes with Miles, as in he can run for miles).

On Monday, Loreus participated in his first full practice since straining his left hamstring in the Aug. 24 Kickoff Classic. He's set to play in his first regular season game Friday against Gaither.

"He was coming at me hard," Loreus said of the text messages. "But I'm back. It will be a different defense this week."

Senior QB Zack Grossi said he got a text message from a Gaither defender who questioned the Dragons' high ranking and read: "I've got two words for you - over rated."

Of course, Grossi couldn't help but notice the spelling error. Overrated is actually one word, but one doesn't quibble over trash talking.

Earlier in the week, Dragons coach Mike Fenton reminded his players to not engage in a back-and-forth banter with the Cowboys. He said they can respond at the game.

"We're not going to say anything back," Fenton said. "You bottle it up and let it all out on Friday night."

BREIT RETURNING TO ACTION: Plant starting middle linebacker Chris Breit received medical clearance Thursday allowing him to return to the football field. Breit will see limited action tonight against Riverview.

Breit suffered a stress fracture in his back during summer workouts. It was an injury that threatened to sideline Breit for his senior year. As one of the team captains, Breit has attended every game and participated in the pregame coin toss, but now he'll be able to contribute more.

Coach Robert Weiner, who received the good news via a text message from Breit on Thursday, said the linebacker will get in on a few plays tonight as he works his way back into football shape.

"He'll be in full gear tomorrow and he's beaming from ear-to-ear," Weiner said. "It means a lot. There's no substitute for having your team leader back on the field and being in battle with all of the guys. That's huge. That's a huge plus for us."

HOLLOWAY SELECTS BOSTON COLLEGE: Jefferson starting defensive lineman/tight end Max Holloway has verbally committed to Boston College.

Holloway made his official visit two weeks ago to watch Boston College defeat N.C. State. The Wolfpack was another team the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Holloway was considering, but eventually he was sold on the Eagles.

"It's a great school and a good football program," Holloway said of his decision. "I just want to be a part of it."

Holloway leads the Dragons with two sacks and is tied for fourth on the defense with 11 tackles. In two games, he also has five receptions for 55 yards and one touchdown. He will play defense for Boston College.

LOFTY COMPARISON: Riverview coach Dan O'Regan knows his defense will have its hands full with Plant QB Aaron Murray when the Sharks travel tonight to face the Panthers at Dad's Stadium. In fact, O'Regan thinks he's seen a Murray-type quarterback before, in the form of a Florida Mr. Football.

"He reminds me of that quarterback down there at [Bradenton] Southeast a few years ago who signed with Florida State," O'Regan said, referring to former prep standout Adrian McPherson, Florida's Mr. Football recipient in 2000. O'Regan was an assistant on the Riverview staff when the Sharks played Southeast in the Class 4A region semifinals in 2000, a game Southeast won 46-14.

"He [Murray] can throw the ball, but he can run it now, too. He's actually better when he's scrambling. He gets out of the pocket and moving around, and boy, he's dangerous. He never seems to be in trouble. It really almost seems choreographed, to tell you the truth. It's going to be tough."

Armwood has been the only team able to contain Murray, and the Hawks did it with a relentless pass rush that kept pressure on the Plant junior. That is a key for the Sharks this week, said O'Regan, who is counting on senior DL Jamaul Butts and Quincy Barr to lead the way. But that's not game plan No. 1.

O'Regan is counting on his ground attack behind senior RBs Jahleel Addae and John Green to put together long, time-consuming drives, in order to limit Murray's opportunities.

"The best way to contain him is having him sitting on the sideline," O'Regan said.

TAMPA BAY TECH RAKING IN HONORS: Tampa Bay Tech's 3-0 start has produced two local honors this week.

Wednesday the Titans (3-0) were presented with the Beef O'Brady's Team of the Week award after defeating Sickles 47-0.

Then Thursday, Coach C.C. Culpepper and members of his staff went to One Buc Place as he was presented with the Buccaneers High School Coach of the Week award. The award comes with a $1,000 check for the Tech football program.

"It's really a team award," Culpepper said. "We're not getting any of these awards if not for how they're playing."

TOUGH TO HANDLE: A 1-2 start is tough enough, but Durant coach Mike Gottman knows his team is just a few plays away from being 3-0, which makes the start that much more troubling.

"This is what is really bad. We're working our tails off and close to knocking on the door and for one reason or another we're not getting over the hump," Gottman said.

A case in point was in Friday's loss to Newsome. The Cougars had first-and-goal at the 4 and couldn't punch it into the end zone. They lost 14-9. Red zone troubles also hampered the team in a season-opening loss to Plant City.

In Durant's lone win this season against East Bay, the Cougars converted four red-zone possessions into points - the final conversion, the only one not a touchdown, was a game-winning field goal from Evan Kelly as time expired.

"Whether it's a lack of mental focus or confidence, I don't know. I really don't know," Gottman said. "But we've really experienced some unfortunate things in untimely situations."

WELCOME BACK: Armwood welcomes senior standout Matt Patchan back to the lineup this week after the two-way lineman sat out last week's win against Brandon.

Patchan served an FHSAA-mandated one-game suspension last week after being flagged for two personal fouls in the season-opening win against Plant.

Patchan said missing the game was "tough to sit there watching my team play without me, knowing I can't help them."

As tough as it was, however, Patchan knows the penalties are much tougher for a repeat occurrence. Per FHSAA rules, Patchan faces a six-game suspension if he is flagged for two personal fouls in another game this season. But Patchan said despite those heavy consequences looming, he doesn't plan on holding back on his physical style of play.

"I'm not going to change anything about my play. I block to the whistle, and I play hard every down, and I let up after the whistle. That's how I play, and I shouldn't change my play because I think that's the right way to play," Patchan said. "[The consequences are] not going to hinder me in that regard. If I do get the first personal foul, you know, I'll make sure I'll be extra, extra careful after that. But as far as going into a game, I'm still going to play as hard as I can and the best I can to help my team succeed."

While Patchan is back this week, Armwood will be without four starters - LB Petey Smith (abdomen), DB Aaron Duncan (ankle), FB Matt Eastman (shoulder) and DL Sergio Joyner (knee) - tonight against Newsome. Smith, Duncan and Eastman are expected back next week against Jefferson, while Joyner, who also was supposed to be back next week, won't be available until the following week against Tampa Bay Tech, Coach Sean Callahan said.

DEFINITELY A GAUGE: There might not be a more confident team in Hillsborough County than Newsome, which is riding a county-best nine-game regular-season winning streak dating to last season.

As good as that run has been, the Wolves (3-0) will find out just how good of a team they've got when they play on the road at nationally ranked Armwood, arguably the county's best program.

"It's definitely a measuring stick for us," Newsome coach Kenneth Hiscock said. "Armwood, year in and year out, they're a tough team, and it's going to be a battle [tonight]."

Hiscock said one of the most important things his team needs to do is control the clock, but the Wolves likely will have to do it without the services of RB Abe Kazbour, who Hiscock said will dress but likely won't play after injuring his tailbone during a boating accident during the weekend. Junior Dan Jackson will get the start in place of Kazbour.

Newsome LB Ryan Gerena (shoulder) also is banged up, but is expected to play.

Despite the injuries, the Wolves are still confident.

"If we play our game, we should put up a good fight," Newsome FB Conner Powers said. "If we play our game, we can beat anyone."

D-FENCE, D-FENCE, D-FENCE: Tampa Catholic may not be perfect this season with a 2-1 record, but it's defense has been the next thing to perfect.

Through three games, TC coach Bob Henriquez said his team has allowed around 100 yards a game and given only six points - total.

"If it weren't for some turnovers on our part and some strange plays that didn't go our way, well, our defense may have given up no points to this point," Henriquez said. "I have to give a lot of credit to [TC assistant coach] Quincy Hipps."

A key ingredient has involved platooning and substituting to keep defensive lineman fresh, an idea that Hipps, a 1995 TC graduate, embraced while playing for the University of Miami (1996-2001).

Other keys include an experienced secondary, a couple of mainstays like inside linebacker P.J. Briody and defensive end Marco Mendoza, who already has four sacks, and, Henriquez said, "an overall aggressive, swarming style."

Compiled by Tribune reporters Adam Adkins, Katherine Smith, Eddie Daniels and Nick Williams and correspondents Matthew Postins and Scott Purks. For more prep notes, go to Keyword: Prep Sports.

Compiled by Tribune reporters Adam Adkins, Katherine Smith, Eddie Daniels and Nick Williams and correspondents Matthew Postins and Scott Purks. For more prep notes, go to Keyword: Prep Sports.

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