Team preview: Fort Walton Beach

By TRAVIS DOWNEY

travisd@nwfdailynews.com

FORT WALTON BEACH - Optimism and expectations generally run high at Fort Walton Beach High School.

For a football program annually teeming with talent, Mike Owens enters his ninth year as the Vikings' head coach with a team boasting perhaps more skill and athleticism than any in recent memory.

Three players - seniors Matt Coffee, Rashad Smith and Akeem Spence - were named to the Daily News 2008 Dandy Dozen and bolster a defense that is expected to be one of the area's stingiest.

"We have to tackle well and stay healthy," Owens said. "But we look good out there running around."

Perhaps nowhere is the Vikings' team speed more apparent than on defense, where the bulk of last year's unit returns.

Seniors T.J. Boyet and Spence anchor an interior front that Owens said is the biggest he has seen.

"Akeem and T.J. give us two 300-pound kids in the middle which is something we've never had," Owens said.

The Vikings have to find new starters at both defensive end positions, with former linebackers in seniors Keefer Adams and Malcolm Freeman making the shift.

Seniors Jarred Williams, Johnny Rudolph and junior Loy Williams will provide depth, as well as sophomore Oshkin Bulutoglu, senior Grant Destin, senior Matt Hromadka and senior Collin Urenda.

 "We feel pretty good about our front," Owens said. "We feel really good about our depth."

The situation is just as solid at linebacker, where the duo of Coffee and Smith inside give the Vikings a powerful one-two punch.

Behind the two veterans, senior Matt Meeker and junior John Castro have shown to be more than capable backups.

Outside, seniors Codie Anderson and Patrick Andrews each return with junior Mack Barton and senior Leland Green the top reserves.

Fort Walton Beach's defensive backfield received a lift this offseason with the addition of Trent Williams.

A transfer from Choctawhatchee, Williams is already penciled in as a starter at one cornerback spot. Senior Sean Evans will man the other corner spot.

A three-year starter, Owens said Evans has entrenched himself as a leader on the Vikings' defense.

Junior Joe Lofton continues the Vikings' speed theme at safety.

Offensively, junior quarterback Luke Barnes returns for his second stint as the Vikings' starter.

Coming off an impressive spring performance, Barnes will once again have plenty of options coming out of the backfield in seniors Coffee, J.T. Wortham and sophomore Charlie Lott.

Lott burst onto the scene last year as a freshman to lead the team in rushing.

"Everybody knows about Matt. Charlie stepped in as a ninth grader last year and was our leading rusher," Owens said. "He just really came out of nowhere and did a great job for us."

At receiver, senior Will Wamble returns as Barnes' go-to target while senior Chris Beavers, senior Jake Kalenze and sophomore Robert Willis are also viable options in the passing game.

"They've all had their really good moments this preseason," Owens said. "We haven't really settled on a starter yet but we feel confident with all three of them."

Protecting Barnes will be a line that returns three starters from a year ago.

Seniors Urenda (right tackle), Jayce Holley (right guard) and Doug Bustillo (left tackle) anchor the line with Kevin Dehlinger set to assume starting duties at center.

Senior Alex Steele leads the competition at left guard, with Boyet and fellow senior Cameron Teamer also in the mix.