Choctaw adopting aggressive mentality (with The Blitz! show)

By TRAVIS DOWNEY

Florida Freedom Newspapers
(850) 315-4476 | travisd@nwfdailynews.com

FORT WALTON BEACH - There's a lot to like about the way Choctawhatchee has started Year 1 under new coach Greg Thomas.

In each of their first two games, the Indians established a sound ground game - running back Le'Keefe Robinson has four rushing touchdowns - and employed a bend-but-don't-break defense to start the season 2-0.

And while the Indians also started 2-0 a year ago, there has been a different feeling around the Choctaw fieldhouse this week as the team wrapped up preparations for its home opener against 5A power Pine Forest tonight.

 "The mentality is totally different," senior linebacker Taylor Kelley said. "We have to throw the punch first instead of getting punched. In the past, we've backed off. Now, we're giving them a fight."

A fight is just what Thomas expects when the Indians welcome the seventh-ranked team in 5A.

Pine Forest features an option-based offense that is built around the Eagles' brute offensive line and running back Shawn Morris, who has already gashed opposing defenses for 339 yards in two games.

Noted Thomas, "They come right at you."

After taking care of business in wins over Gulf Breeze (44-9) and Washington (21-10), Thomas said things become increasingly more difficult starting tonight.

"I don't know if we've been tested like we're going to be tested (tonight)," Thomas said. "We might have to reevaluate things after (tonight), but I think our kids are going to come ready to play hard, I know that."

"We're excited about playing at home," senior quarterback David Weber said.

Thomas called Pine Forest (2-0) a "scary" team that prides itself in its physicality.

"You can tell they're well-coached," Thomas said. "They're physical and they fly around to the football. They just have a mentality that they're going to out-hit everybody - whether it's offense or defense. They play football old school and they're good at it."

It is that type of mentality that Thomas has hoped to instill in the Indians, and after experiencing some growing pains early, he hopes that will be the type of team that Choctaw is soon recognized as by opponents.

"You have to," Thomas said of developing a mindset similar to that of Pine Forest. "We're not there yet, but hopefully each week we'll get better and better and learn from our mistakes."

Defensively, Thomas has been pleased with the early results.

"We bend a little, we haven't broke," Thomas said. "It's just assignment football."

Kelley said he and his defensive teammates will have to do exactly that tonight or the Indians' hopes of a 3-0 start could quickly unravel.

"They have really skilled skill players," Kelley said. "When you don't play your assignment, they're scoring."