OVIEDO
2015: 7-4 record, 2nd in 8A District 2 (*includes forfeit win against OC University)
Last Playoff Appearance: 2015, Lost in 1st round to Mandarin.
Head Coach: Wes Allen, 58-31 record heading into 9th season
Key Returners: RB Xandre McCleary (541 yards, 9 TD) OL Ryan Milon, QB/WR Marco Weimer (transfer from Hagerty), LB Solomon Gruse (13 TKL, 1 FR), DT Asa Baker (52 TKL, 3 TFL, 3 sacks)
The Scoop: The Oviedo Lions have a lot of work to do, needing to replace a majority of starters on both sides of the ball. One of the most notable names the Lions are replacing would be dual-threat quarterback Nick Carbone.
Quotable: “It’s tough to replace a quarterback but it’s really tough to replace a kid like Nick Carbone, who is a dual-threat kid, runs and throws.” – Coach Wes Allen
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It’s as young as it gets at Oviedo High School.
“Over the last three years we have graduated 75 players,” said Coach Wes Allen.
And one of the biggest holes to fill with a young face would be at the quarterback spot, as three-year starter Nick Carbone graduated last year.
“It’s tough to replace a quarterback but it’s really tough to replace a kid like Nick Carbone, who is a dual-threat kid, runs and throws.”
Two names are surfacing as potentials to split time, last year’s back-up Morgan Mitchell and Hagerty High School transfer Marco Weimer. With different skill sets come a slightly different look on offense.
“We’ve really tried to match up what we do scheme wise with our personnel instead of trying to dictate to our kids, hey this is what you have go to do,” said Coach Allen. “We don’t get to choose our players so we have to go with what their skills are and try to scheme for that.”
A potentially new look Lion squad with every member working to get on the same page this summer.
“Up-tempo, hard, good workout. People work hard around here and try to get it done,” said Weimer.
It’s all about the high intensity workouts, because while the Lions may be young, Coach Allen will make sure they are ready.
“So we are young, but the guys we have coming back are good football players and guys we are expecting to lead us and see how things go during the season.”
“We’ve been working hard because we have a lot of young guys but they all put in the work and are ready to go next season,” said senior linebacker Solomon Gruse. “So it should be a good year.”
It all depends on how fast these young Lions can grow up.
2016 Schedule
8/19: @Wekiva
8/26: Timber Creek
9/2: @Osceola
9/9: @Hagerty
9/23: Winter Springs
9/30: @Lake Mary
10/7: University
10/13: @Seminole
10/21: Lake Brantley
10/28: @Lyman
11/4: Lake Howell