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Wake-Up Call: Spoto ready to play the role of David

Staff photo by BILL WARD

Spoto coach Dale Caparaso can stretch the David vs. Goliath analogy only so far – and he knows it.

By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2009

Updated: 10/14/2009 09:18 am

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The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

It's not just another game on the schedule.

It's Plant.

Dale Caparaso, coach of Spoto High School's third-year Class 3A football program, knows what his Spartans (6-0) will be facing on Friday night when the Class 5A Panthers (4-1) come to town.

"Plant has more assistant coaches than we have footballs,'' he said.

And as "Coach Cap'' stood there, overseeing the practice of three-dozen players, most of whom go both ways, another notion struck him.

"How long has Plant been playing football?'' Caparaso said. "What is it, 1927? In 1927, where we're standing here at Spoto, it was swampland.

"So this isn't just another game on the schedule. This is something completely different.''

A different world, really.

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Spoto.

Caparaso can stretch the David vs. Goliath analogy only so far – and he knows it.

Plant has great numbers. And it has unmatched tradition (two state titles in the past three seasons).

But the Spartans, even in the program's baby steps, have assembled a suffocating, 11-hats-on-the-ball, blitzing, unforgiving defense. It has surrendered just two touchdowns in six games. Both were on a short field, created by a shanked punt and a turnover. (Spoto also was scored upon with an interception return).

"We don't like that,'' said Spoto junior inside linebacker Rodney Williams, who already is creating a recruiting stir and has eyes for the University of Miami in the early going. "Our thing is every time we take the field, we want to shut out the other team. If somebody scores against us, it's like an insult.''

Caparaso has noticed that attitude.

"Our guys were devastated after the Dixie Hollins game,'' Caparaso said of last Friday's 41-13 victory against the Rebels. "They scored 13. Our guys weren't angry. They were devastated. It's a little out of whack because you can't stop everybody all the time. Our guys, though, they have high standards.

"Teams have driven it on us, but they haven't finished. Our philosophy is first downs don't win games. You can pick up all the first downs you want. We don't want you to score. We want to run the ball and play great defense. We'd like to win every game ugly. To us, that's beautiful.''

To Caparaso, though, the ultimate beauty of this season wouldn't be pulling the upset against Plant.

The Spartans (6-0, 2-0) are contenders for the Class 3A-District 8 title, along with Jefferson (4-1, 2-0) and Lakewood (4-2, 1-1).

Following the game against Plant, Spoto has a three-week district stretch that includes meetings with Jefferson and Lakewood.

"Jefferson played Plant and got beat pretty solidly,'' Caparaso said. "The 3A schools are not in the same bracket with Plant. Now would beating Plant give us credibility. Whoooo! Are you kidding. Of course, it would.

"But if you beat Plant, then turn around and lose to Jefferson and Lakewood, what does it mean? Do you sit around in January and say, 'Hey, guys, we beat Plant!' Yeah, we went 8-2 and paid seven bucks to watch everbody else in the playoffs. Playing Plant as an undefeated team, that's a great opportunity. Winning our district would be the signature moment for us.''

That's the logical approach.

Then there are the emotions of this week.

You can't undersell the Plant game to Spoto players. Caparaso won't even attempt that.

"It's a measuring stick,'' he said. "If you think you have a good football team, you want to see just how good you are. What better way around here than to line up against Plant, Armwood or Tampa Bay Tech. Our guys love this opportunity – absolutely love it.''

Or in the words of Spartans inside linebacker Rico Potter: "We want to prove to everyone that we're not just some 3A school sitting over in the corner. We're a big dog, too.''

Defensively, that's hard to argue. With Williams (220 pounds) and Potter (230) in the middle, plus speedy outside linebacker Jamar Burns and Danny Taylor, Spoto dictates its will with aggressive schemes that grow in sophistication by the week.

"I get a lot of exposure (in the media), but I'm telling you, it's tough for me to make a tackle sometimes,'' Williams said. "All our guys run to the ball. Last week, I was closing on a big hit and our safety came out of nowhere for the tackle. I think we can play with anybody.''

Can Spoto compete against Plant?

It's an intriguing question, and we'll learn the answer on Friday.

It's not just another game on the schedule.

What to do with Aaron Murray?

The Georgia Bulldogs are 3-3 following Saturday's hideous 45-19 loss at Tennessee. With Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech still on the schedule, it may be a struggle just to reach a bowl game.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradley wonders if it's time to take the redshirt off quarterback Aaron Murray.

Murray, the freshman from Plant High, is No. 3 on the depth chart behind starter Joe Cox and backup Logan Gray.

"Even as it was struggling in 2006, Georgia had already committed to going with true freshman Matthew Stafford,'' Bradley writes. "He suffered some reversals – in the loss at Kentucky, he threw interceptions from the Georgia 2-yard line and the Kentucky 1 on consecutive series – but he learned.

"I wouldn't start Murray ahead of Joe Cox, but I'd bump him ahead of Gray and give him some snaps. Murray is the future. With one more loss, the future officially begins.''

Good news for Outback Bowl

The Outback Bowl, Tampa's college bowl game on New Year's Day, has reached a four-year agreement with the Big Ten Conference through the 2013 season. The Outback Bowl will continue to get third choice from the Big Ten (behind the Rose Bowl and Capital One Bowl). The Big Ten has sent a team to the bowl each year since 1993.

The Outback Bowl is in talks with the SEC to extend that agreement.

Dexter Jackson resurfaces with Carolina

Former Bucs wide receiver/return man Dexter Jackson, a second-round pick in 2008 who never caught on, has been signed to the Carolina Panthers' practice squad. Coincidentally or not, the Panthers travel to play the Bucs on Sunday.

Jackson never caught a pass in regular-season play, returning 14 kickoffs for a 23.4-yard average and 20 punts for a 4.9-yard average.

After getting fired by the Bucs and easing into his role as analyst for ESPN's "Monday Night Football,'' Jon Gruden admitted the team "reached'' in drafting Jackson as a second-rounder.

Carter back with Rams

Wide receiver Tim Carter (Lakewood) has re-signed with the St. Louis Rams, the team that cut him after exhibition season. Ruvell Martin (hamstring) may not be healthy this week, and the Rams need another body at wide receiver.

New role for Speights?

Philadelphia 76ers center Marreese Speights (Admiral Farragut), the former University of Florida player, will be asked to handle and pass the ball, along with taking an occasional midrange jumper, if he wants to fit into the Princeton-style offense of new coach Eddie Jordan. Expect an adjustment period.

"Mo has a knack offensively,'' 76ers general manager Ed Stefanski told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "His teammates tease him about not throwing the ball to them sometimes. He likes to score.''

Bogar to interview with Astros

Tim Bogar, the Rays' quality assurance coach in 2008, will interview for the Houston Astros' managerial job. Bogar was first-base coach for the Boston Red Sox this season.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to former Brandon High School and University of Florida basketball player Dwayne Schintzius, a 7-foot-2 center who was a first-round draft choice (24th overall pick) of the San Antonio Spurs in 1990. He played nine seasons in the NBA (Spurs, Kings, Nets, Pacers, Clippers, Celtics) and portrayed a fictional Russian basketball player for the New York Knicks in the 1996 Whoopi Goldberg comedy, "Eddie.'' Today, Schintzius turns 41.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Tuesday's trivia question:

After the University of Tampa dropped its football program in 1975, Spartan linebacker Mike Woods transferred to the University of Cincinnati and became a first-team All-American there in 1977.

Wednesday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

Spoto High School is named for Dick Spoto, a retired educator. Where did Spoto make his reputation as a head football coach?

Check for the answer in Thursday's Wake-Up Call.

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