Head Coach: Joey Whittington (13th season)
Last year’s record: 9-4 (lost to Space Coast in SSAA Atlantic 1A Championship)
You go 9-4 last year and get all the way to the SSAA Atlantic 1A Championship Game. What is the next step for the program, understanding that the SSAA has restructured this year?
The next step in the program is just hopefully switching from last year. We did a big talk about finding a way to win. You never know which play, which tackle, which block, which whatever it’s going to be. So we found a way to win. Now we’re trying to turn it into expect to win. Don’t let winning surprise you. Doing what it takes, because, also the big flip is — like I’ve told the boys this year — now we’re not sneaking up on anybody.We went 9-4 last season and Landin Williams is not sneaking up on them, like, “Is this running back really decent?” you know? And then Corbin Abarca is not sneaking up on anybody, R.J. Leffler, some of those. So a lot of those guys have got to learn now, we’re going to get some teams’ best shots. There is no underdog surprise with the Bell Bulldogs. So having that mentality of we expect to play well, we expect to practice hard every day, we expect to win the ball game on Friday night and go out there and take care of business to do that. And then with the restructuring of the playoffs, it’s going to be a bigger field. We’d like to make another playoff run in that, and that’s kind of been our goal is to take care of business, try to go 1-0 every Friday night, and then make a push into a playoff run after that.
Who has jumped out to you in the spring and offseason?
Spring and offseason-wise, I love the work that RJ (Leffler) has put in. He’s kind of always been a team leader just because he was a starting safety last year, but now he’s completely owned the quarterback role, like what we think of a team leader. He’s been at stuff, been a good team leader. Just the work that all the kids have put in. The senior class, they’ve stepped up and been leaders. Eli Vaughn and Jordan Spears, two seniors that have bigger roles to fill. Jordan’s coming off an injury. He only got to play five games last year. He’s coming back off that injury. And, you know, he’s expect big things out fom himself, and we are too. Eli Vaughn, stepping into a bigger role. And then people that were leaders last year, like a Danny Byers, that, you know, solid offensive lineman for us, multi-year starter. Just seeing them step into their roels, especially in the leader ship catergory. That’s been good. Fall camp, we’ve had the Williams brothers, Landin and Kaleb, have both stepped up and then we’ve got some newcomers to varsity: Jackson Philman, Noah Bagby, Dean Glass. Those guys have done a good job. They might have played here and there, but this will be their first year on varsity. Jackson’s played a lot for us on JV, but now they’ve got varsity roles. Those guys and Brandon Aguilar are stepping into their spots in the field.
What can fans expect to see on Friday nights?
We preach it all the time. We’re trying to be a smart, physical football team that limits our mistakes and physically outlasts our opponents. When I say smart, I mean using multiple formation, lining up in different things on offense, knowing our roles, whatever that may be on defense, and playing smart and then doing it while being as physical as we can while taking care of our jobs. And it’ll be a phyical ground attack. That’s who we are. When Bell’s at its best, it’s when we’re able to run the ball well and efficiently and being able to win the line of scrimmage
What games are you looking forward to this season?
I really like our schedule. I think it’s a fun schedule. I mean, the obvious answers are Trenton and Branford. And that, to me, is what small-school high school football is all about. Your in-county rivals with us and Trenton, and I think it means a lot to community, so we always look forward to that game. Branford, you know, they’re right up the road. It’s kind of those situations where the kids have known each other for a long time, the families know each other. Just good community experiences. Another local team, Dixie County, is on the schedule. The first time Bell and Dixie have played in the regular season since 2000, so kind of interesting to see how that goes, getting that back, especially from being there, I’m kind of intrigued. And then, you know, we’ve got some games with some tough opponents like Lake Weir and Franklin County, always looking forward to those guys. Those coaches do a great job. I have a lot of respect for those coaches. Oak Hall, another local team, what Coach RJ does over there. I like our schedule. It’s going to be a fun schedule. I think every Friday night, you know? I’ve known a lot of these coaches at these schools for at least the last couple years, and, just, kind of, having fun with those games