ORANGE PARK - As area high school sports takes a much needed July 4 break anticipating a final stretch of preparedness in July and August for the 2025 seasons about to emerge, the quarterback scene for football has a plethora of guys chomping at the bit to get to the next step.
"We were right there last year and missed in the last two minutes," said Oakleaf High senior Jack McKissock, who returns as the probably marquis signal caller for the Clay County football scene. "I think the guys were looking for a leader throughout the season and me being the new guy on the team, it took a while for me to assume that role."
McKissock, with a bucket load of statistics (2,942 YDs, 28TDs, 4INTs) proving his point that his transfer last year from 1A The First Academy to 6A Oakleaf was more a test of his own readiness to play "big boy football".
"I think I showed that I could play at this level and it helps to have the great team we had around me last year to make the transition smoothly," said McKissock, who finished with a 9-4 season and a region final game that was about as close, 25-19, as a championship football can get against four-time Final Four finisher Buchholz High. "This year, we are not going to surprise anyone and will definitely have a target on our backs."
For Oakleaf offensive coordinator Bubba Horne, the schematic that McKissock has in their blueprint of offense is literally an offense coach's dream.
"We have weapons all around him; running backs; speed with Fareed Coleman and power with C.J. Moses; pass catchers; Michael Connor, Jordin Pryce and Rodney Townsend, and the whole question is "can we protect Jack," said Horne. "We lost a handful of great guys on the O-Line that we are working hard to bring the new faces up to the Oakleaf level of technique and ferocity. We are close."

At Middleburg, coach Ryan Wolfe is watching a two-man battle take place in his backfield with Oakleaf transfer Jayven Moreno in the pocket probably wanting his own offense with McKissock set to pilot Oakleaf and, just recently, Nease High transfer Mason Bacus, a senior that had some input into an outstanding 10-1 season for the Panthers last year. Bacus, big at six foot and 200 pounds, was behind Nease starter Nate Harry last year who guided the Panthers to their unbeaten regular season and a region semifinal berth that, coincidentally, found Nease facing off against Oakleaf.
In that game, Bacus entered in the fourth quarter with Nease down 31-0 and put two scores on the board; one with a handoff and one a pass play, after Harry was ineffective against the suffocating Knights defense, in the 31-14 somewhat surprising loss that ended Nease's season.
"I think people saw what I could do in a tough situation," said Bacus after dropping a handful of spectacular touchdown passes of 30-40 yards in a 7 v 7 passing scrimmage against Bishop Kenny in June. "It'll take a while learn the Middleburg system, but I'm ready to go."
For Wolfe, Bacus and Moreno are still battling for the starter's position and Wolfe has been known to interchange quarterbacks according to schemes. Moreno offers a bit more of a running threat to opposing defenses with good scampering speed outside of the pocket.
Both Moreno and Bacus come into 2025 as somewhat seasoned backups with a tremendous starter in front of them and both appear ready to take the reigns.


For Orange Park, senior Gabe Taylor has been behind center for nearly three years under the tutelage of coach Marcus Wimberly, who likes his power football run game, but has been loosening up a bit to utilize Taylor's downfield passing prowess.
Against ED White in their spring game, Taylor found wide out Brock Aflege on numerous shots downfield that moved the chains quickly and if Wimberly establishes his strong up front run game behind offensive line coach Tyler Dehart's big boys, that could pose trouble for defenses. Orange Park showed up spurts of that hard running, then downfield tosses to be effective. Taylor is very smart, agile and not afraid to take a shot running downfield.


At Ridgeview, second year coach Merlin Smith already has his establish pounding run game led by Christian Felder and Smith likes Jordan Mesa as his quarterback. Mesa, sharing duties with Jack Kellogg last year, is a slick operator with deceptive outside speed because he doesn't look like he's going fast, but he is.
"Jordan Mesa is a special athlete with the ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs," said Smith. "He was able to weather the storm last year as one of our quarterbacks as a sophomore and, I think, now, as a junior, he has a clear understanding of the offense and will lead accordingly. I expect him to have a breakout season."
Smith also had a few guys making good catches downfield in the Panthers spring game against a tough and athletic Ribault High team.


At Clay High, senior Landon Martin has been steadily earning his starting job with his Blue Collar work ethic that lends a team a leader both on and off the field.
Martin is under the tutelage of an offense-strong new coach in Jeff Gierke who guided Gulf Breeze High to one of the more prolific seasons with a top rated quarterback and one of the highest team scoring averages in Florida.
Over the summer, Martin has been connected with a bevy of hands led by senior Daylen Brown as his primary target (32 catches 6TDs) with Landon Chadwick and Wyatt Rapoza getting catches in scrimmages and practice. Martin, with a 54 percent passing ratio (13TDs, 12INTs) can deliver the goods in the air and on his feet (3 Rush TDs), but it is his leadership demeanor that will carry the Blue Devils back to wins.


Fleming Island coach Derek Chipoletti had the best of both worlds in his return to the sidelines with a quick transition from assistant coach to head coach and a seasoned and superbly talented senior quarterback in Cibastian Broughton, but Broughton is at Akron and Chipoletti is now fully in charge.
From the roster, Chipoletti's top name back as a possible starter is Eric Gentry, a junior, who had a great start in against Riverside last year amidst a suspension to Broughton for an unsportsmanship flag in the Golden Eagles' rivalry game against Clay.
Gentry and Chipoletti squeezed out a third quarter and fourth quarter of 15 points apiece to match Riverside's 28 second half points, but General went 20-9 in the first half.
As for the rest of the season, Gentry got spot duty catching Broughton passes. Senior speedster Trace Burney could possible Wildcat the offense with another fleet guy, Sebastian Cruz, also able to take snaps. Both are near 11 second 100 meters and Chipoletti may see that as his primary attack point.
Other than that, Chipoletti has new faces battling for the spot.


Down south at Keystone Heights, coach Steve Reynolds started sophomore Ryder Trull in the Indians spring game, but also has last year's quarterback, Baylor Ford, on the hook, though Ford was catching passes in the spring game. Indians always try to establish a rugged run game and defenses know that. Running backs Kyle Perkins, Colton Hollingsworth and Zane Leger are formidable and Trull may need to just not fumble the center snap for Reynolds.