It wasn’t so much the unusually high number of seniors St. Cloud’s football team had last season, but almost all of them were starters or major contributors for Bryan Smart’s 7-3 team.
In fact, last year’s senior class accounted for 22 full- or part-time starters — something that is going to make Smart’s eighth season at the helm one of the most interesting, if not one of the most trying, ones of his career.
“There’s no other way of putting it; we lost a starter or part-time starter at every position,” Smart said. “On the positive side, the 50-plus kids we have out here for spring ball are working their tails off and are showing great enthusiasm.”
St. Cloud, which ran a spread offense last year under then-senior quarterback Garrett King, will keep that alignment in 2021 but will add a tight end. With five new starting linemen, the Bulldogs hope by adding a tight end to the formation it will shore up the blocking for quarterback heir-apparent Gabe Slutsky.
A 5-foot-10, 160-pound rising senior, Slutsky saw limited snaps last year behind King.
“He has taken 95 percent of the snaps this spring and has earned the right to start,” Smart said. “Ryan Clancy will be the backup but he is such a talented player, he’ll be on the field for us somewhere.”
Between departed seniors King, Anthony Gonzalez, Jack Rilling and St. Cloud’s “Mr. Do Everything” Patrick Forsythe, the Bulldogs saw 70 percent of their receiving yards and almost 90 percent of their running game graduate.
Smart believes Hayden Taylor can be the next workhorse running back/ receiver for St. Cloud. Taylor, a 5-10, 170-pound senior, caught 11 passes for 163 yards and three scores last season while also seeing action on defense and special teams.
“He actually had a really good season for us last year; it’s just the seniors sort of over-shadowed his accomplishments,” Smart said.
AJ Negron is a rising junior who also will see a lot of touches this fall. He was a deep threat for St. Cloud last year, averaging more than 20 yards a reception on five catches.
“Both AJ and Hayden can line up at wide receiver or running back,” Smart said. “Both are fast, versatile backs that we just need to get the ball to in (open) space.”
One of the biggest rebuilding jobs will come on the offensive line.
“It’s going to be an adventure,” Smart said. “All five starters are gone and few of the reserves last year for any varsity snaps.”
To help shore up the line, rising junior Mason Green is moving from defensive to offensive line and will start at one guard position. Upcoming senior Jacob Branson has looked solid at center.
Defensively, St. Cloud loses pretty much all of its starters to graduation, including Osceola News Gazette All County linebacker Azariah Williams and defensive tackle standout Kiwasi Crudup.
The strength of the St. Cloud defense may lie at linebacker, where the Bulldogs return some experience in Matthew Clukey, Noah Carr and Gio Bryan. Those three combined for 80 tackles, five tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks, and should provide leadership to an inexperienced defense.
Smart also said leadership, at least this spring, has come from another source.
“St. Cloud is special
because a lot of our
alumni often come by
and provide support to
our kids,” he said. “We
had 4-5 seniors from last
year’s team come to our
practices this spring and
offer vocal support to
the young guys. I think
they appreciate that
encouragement.”
St. Cloud will compete in a district with Viera, East River, Melbourne and cross-town rival Harmony.
“Tough but balanced and fair,” Smart said of the alignment. “Viera will be preseason favorites, but I think all those teams have some talent and are wellcoached.”
Smart, who has posted a 41-29 record with five winning seasons in seven years, might face a tough road in 2021 but his expectations haven’t changed.
“The win total is never our top priority,” Smart said. “Rather what is the most important thing is that these kids come out, play hard and try to get better every day. When
