Gaither: Losing nothing to joke about for Scarberry

In an effort to better himself, Josh Scarberry figured he'd ask Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Quincy Black about his nutrition. So he asked Black what he ate.

When Black replied "people food," Scarberry responded with, "I eat dog food."

Initially concerned, Black soon discovered that was just Scarberry's dry wit on display. Known as quiet and reserved off the football field, the Gaither High junior linebacker transforms into something else when the ball is in play.

"He's quiet around everybody, but his motor runs when it's Friday night and the lights are on and he walks onto that field," Cowboys coach Mark Kantor said. "You know that cat's going to give 110 percent on every play because he just likes the game. Plus, he's got a great last name - Scarberry. That's an inside linebacker name."

Last season, Scarberry was one of the team's lone bright spots. Saddled with a young roster and one of the county's toughest schedules, Gaither went 1-9.

But during those trying times, Scarberry emerged as a defender to look out for.

"I love the whole experience of being on the field with the crowd cheering and coming out of the barn with the smoke. It gets me ready to play," Scarberry said. "This year, we've come together as a team and worked hard together. There's no way we're going 1-9 again. We know how it feels to lose and we don't like it."

Scarberry led a defensive unit filled with potential with 82 tackles. He also had two sacks.

Playing linebacker comes naturally to Scarberry, having played it since his introduction to football at age 6. Though smallish in size for the position, Scarberry (5-foot-10) compensates with excellent reaction time and great reads.

"He has the potential to play at the next level and he understands he's probably going to have to change positions in college," Kantor said. "But he is a relentless individual when it comes to playing inside linebacker."

That relentlessness comes from a need to satisfy his slightly destructive nature.

"I just like to hit people," Scarberry said. "It's my favorite thing to do. I got pushed around a lot at first, but I toughened up and learned how to actually play."

About the Cowboys

STADIUM:: Cowboy Stadium, 16200 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
CLASS-DISTRICT: 5A-5 (with Alonso, Chamberlain and Plant)
COACH:: Mark Kantor (39-46, ninth season)
LAST SEASON: 1-9

2010 schedule

Sept. 3: at Sickles
Sept. 10: at Steinbrenner
Sept. 16: Wharton
Sept. 24: Freedom
Oct. 1: at Hillsborough
Oct. 8: Plant
Oct. 15: Plant City
Oct. 22: at Chamberlain
Oct. 29: at Armwood
Nov. 5: Alonso

Roster

No.NamePos.Ht.Wt.Yr.1Robert PerryDB5-11175Sr.2Josh ScarberryLB5-10190Jr.3Levon BrookinsLB5-10200Jr.4Nick SampsonLB5-10175Jr.5Vu LeRB5-8145So.6Joel ParedesDB5-10155Sr.7Devonta MartinRB5-10185Sr.8Alfred OruwairyeWR6-3175Sr.9Shug OyegunleQB5-10160So.10Cameron ValdezQB5-10150Jr.11Carson BakerWR6-2175Sr.13Zach CondonFB6-1190Jr.17John PernesWR6-2200Sr.19Mitch McNallWR5-10175Jr.20Andrew RogersRB5-10190Sr.21Josh BultronWR6-4175Sr.22Paul BarrettWR6-1165Jr.23Tyler McCollumDB5-11160Jr.25Dwayne McCallaDB5-10150Jr.26Joe LarkinLB5-10175Sr.27Joey BrabhamDB5-11165Jr.28Max PautlerDB6-1170Jr.30Josh RifeDB5-10150Jr.31Tyler HamiltonLB5-10175Sr.32Dalton GilsonK/P5-9140So.34Ja'Mari CordDB5-10170So.35Jeremy HendersonSS6-2205Sr.40Lito OcasioRB5-8170Jr.42Jelani OttleyDE6-2185Jr.43Dominic NeglioFB5-9165So.44Xavier WynnDL5-10225Sr.45Logan MarshallLB5-10185So.48Matt OrbinLB5-10155Sr.49Jonathan HarrisDL6-2200Sr.51Chadd HannahDL6-422-Sr.52Teddy MarksOL6-1210Jr.55Dale DowdenLB6-2185Sr.57Paul StrongLB5-11160Sr.58Noel GarciaLB5-9165Sr.60Mie BasiliousOL5-10200Jr.62Justin AndrewsOL6-0230Sr.65Angel AlvarezDL6-1285Sr.66Billy NenosOL6-3210Sr.67Matt FinnesyOL6-1215Jr.68Zack O'NealOL5-10195Sr.70Robert FittsOL6-6275Jr.72Justin JacobyOL6-2275So.73Jordan FariaOL5-10205Jr.74Tubo NnanakumoOL6-4250So.78Alex RodriguezOL6-1240Jr.79Josh EinmoOL5-10255Jr.80Brett WasmundDB5-10155Jr.82Mikhail ReeceDL6-4175Jr.87Carlo PerelloWR5-11155Jr.89Greg GriffeyDB5-10155Sr.