Osceola, Gateway products could get major playing time at Va. Tech, FSU
Two Osceola County products could play major factors for their respective teams in 2021, as both the Virginia Tech Hokies and Florida State Seminoles hope to rebound from subpar 2020 seasons.
Dennis Briggs Jr., who played his high school ball at Gateway High for Coach Marlin Roberts, is a projected starter for Seminoles after switching from defensive end to defensive tackle last spring. Former Osceola High School standout Mario Kendricks is locked in a battle with several players for a starting position – but figures heavily in their playing rotation regardless of the outcome.
Briggs graduated from Gateway in 2018, and still has three years of eligibility left at FSU. He appeared in four games as a freshman before taking a redshirt. IN 2019, he played in all 13 games for the Seminoles, making a pair of starts, and finished the season with 28 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
He initially opted out of the 2020 season because of Covid concerns, but returned to the field late in the season as FSU had injury issues on the defensive line. It was a decision that was tough to make for the former Panther. As with all NCAA athletes, last season did not count towards an athlete’s eligibility, essentially making Briggs a so called “super sophomore” this season and giving him three more years to play.
“I was thrown back into action halfway through the season, and frankly I really wasn’t in full football shape,” Briggs said. “Going through spring football and this whole preseason, it’s definitely helping me get better.”
It was in the spring that Briggs switched from defensive end to defensive tackle and he has impressed coaches with performance.
“I feel like I can help my team out better there,” Briggs said. “Making that move there helped me grow as a player both mentally and physically. It’s helped me understand the game at a deeper level.”
Roberts coached Briggs for four seasons and believes the move is the key for Briggs to get to the next level.
“We played him inside and outside at Gateway, and he always liked the outside,” Roberts said. “But I always felt his future was on the inside either as a defensive tackle or a nose. He has great size and speed and always has had exceptional hands and feet. His coach Odell Haggins told me he can be highly effective playing the nose in a 3-4 or defensive tackle in a 4-3.”
Roberts saw Briggs record 116 tackles with 34 tackles-for-loss and nine quarterback sacks as a senior with the Panthers, said the sky is the limit for the former Panther star, who now stands 6-5 and weighs 278 pounds. “I really believe he has NFL potential,” Roberts said. “He was a tremendous high school player and is starting to become an elite college player.”
Kendricks also hopes to make an impact in the ACC this season. He had an outstanding year for Osceola as a junior, recording 16 sacks for Doug Nichols’ squad. Kendricks missed about half his senior season with injuries, but remained a three-star recruit – signing with Virginia Tech.
As a freshman he played in 11 games and recorded 14 tackles and 1.5 quarterback sacks. He piled up 12 tackles with four tackles-for-loss and two sacks in his sophomore year and remains a sophomore this summer due to the COVID-19 ruling.
Although he faces competition for a starting role in 2021, he is slated to be in the regular rotation for the Hokies. His former high school coach believes Kendricks is just starting to reach his potential.
“He didn’t even play football until eighth grade,” Nichols, who plans to watch Kendricks in person when the Hokies play West Virginia on Sept. 18, said. “He is a dedicated, hard-working team player who has always been concerned with getting better,” Nichols said.
That work was evident when Kendricks was awarded a “Hard Hat” this spring from head coach Justin Fuente. The highly coveted hard hats are based on a number of criteria established by Fuente and strength coach Ben Hilgart for meeting or exceeding physical performance and testing goals, attitude, enthusiasm and leadership.
Nichols said both players took different high school paths to the same place. “Briggs was a handful in high school, everyone was recruiting him. Mario started out not as dominating in high school but got better and better,” the veteran coach said. “Both guys are now in position to be major forces on the defensive lines of their respective schools. It’s a pretty good story that two guys from Osceola County have a chance to be starters at big time programs.”
