No Place But Up for 2008 Seahawks

After an 0-10 record in 2007, there's no place to go but up for the Franklin County Seahawks.

That's how first-year coach Jimmy Johnson likes it.

"Whatever we do is an improvement," he said. "To be honest, I see a lot of potential. I see a lot of young kids who have just never played football. We have some athletes and we have some speed."

What the Seahawks don't have is confidence, and that worries Johnson the most.

The 25-year coaching veteran has never taken over a fledgling program like Franklin County before. He feels that confidence is a Catch-22. To acquire it, the Seahawks need to win. Yet Johnson feels they need confidence to be able to win.

Johnson was an assistant on Franklin County's first team a year ago. The school is the result of Apalachicola and Carrabelle high schools merging. He took over for Bill Sharp before spring practice and has seen his team get better every day.

Thirty-four players came out for fall practice, Johnson said. Most of them went through spring drills.

"We got off to a good start," Johnson said. "Everybody kinds of understands what's going on. Like last year, it took awhile. We're farther along this year than last year because of spring practice.

"We're telling kids every day, ‘you're going to get out of it what you put into it.'"

With just four players lost to graduation, the Seahawks have a foundation to build on, led by quarterback Gene Anderson. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder has improved his arm strength and gained some muscle since last season, Johnson said.

He also has a group of talented skill players around him. Sophomore Dalin Modican and senior Jeremy James should be Anderson's featured targets as well as top running threats.

Franklin County's defense returns its leading tackler from a year ago, senior linebacker Kevin Beasley. Junior D.J. Lane joins Beasley in that linebacking corps. Modican and James will double in the secondary for Johnson, alongside Dale Butler.

"We're putting our fastest kids on the defensive side of the ball," Johnson said. "We're not big. Good overall team speed on defense."

Johnson said he is trying to mold a combination of veteran football players, second-year athletes and first-year tryouts.

"They're hungry," Johnson said. "They want to win just like anybody else. They're tired of being laughed at, and that's a good thing. We know nobody respects us and that's kinda what we use as motivation."

At a Glance

Franklin County Seahawks

Head coach: Jimmy Johnson, first year

Offensive coordinator: Johnson

Defensive coordinator: Fred Drake

District: 1-1A

2007 record: 0-10

Playoffs: None.

Offense: Multiple.

Defense: 50.

Leading returners: Jared Mock (sr., RB), Dailn Modican (so., WR), Jeremy James (sr., WR), Gene Anderson (sr., QB).

Others to watch: Chase Richards (jr., OL), Bobby Garrett (sr., TE)

Key losses: Four seniors

Outlook: Any improvement will be a major stride for Franklin County, in its second year of varsity football. This year's squad, led by first-year head coach Jimmy Johnson, has gone through spring, summer and fall practice together, the first time a Seahawks team has done so. Johnson hopes that continuity and extra practice pays off this season.

2008 Schedule

Sept. 5 - at South Walton

Sept. 12 - at Baker

Sept. 19 - at Sneads

Sept. 26 - at Liberty County

Oct. 3 - Freeport

Oct. 10 - Wewahitchka

Oct. 24 - Port St. Joe

Oct. 31 - West Gadsden

Nov. 7 - at Jay

Nov. 14 - Walton