JACKSONVILLE – Under new head coach Steve Reynolds, Oakleaf High football will have some questions to answer on one hand, but also, on the other hand, Reynolds will have an easy answer to the first obvious questions.

Question one of the two: Offense?

Answer: Two four year players; quarterback Jordan Johnson and wide out Rontrez Morgan.

“Both of them have to own the leadership position they will assume this year,” said Reynolds. “In past years, they have been in leadership roles longer then they have known as two of the top guys on offense. Now, with guys graduated, they have to take control of it.”

For Johnson, a four-year varsity quarterback for Oakleaf under coach Derek Chipoletti the past three years and now Reynolds, the statistics have always been impressive, the results have grown to be impressive and, most recently, last year, the near-miss of the playoffs, most hurtful. Johnson has thrown for 1,446, 1,975 and 1,735 yards the past three seasons with 10, 18 and 17 touchdowns and won/lost records of 4-6, 10-0, region finalist; and 8-2 last year. Johnson had 10 interceptions as a freshman with just seven and six interceptions in the last two years with longest scores of 91 and 98 yards, also in the last two years.

“After our loss to Bartram Trail, where I think we beat ourselves, I realized that not only do I have to take control of the offense, but I have to reach the entire team,” said Jordan, who connected with Oakleaf’s second pass catcher Rashaan Swain for a 98 yard score in the Bartram Trail game. “Shaq (graduated All American linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, now at University of Miami) was our field leader; on both sides of the ball and on the sidelines. I have to take that role.”

Johnson’s long-time favorite target with his passes has, since middle school at Oakleaf Junior High, been Morgan, who has emerged himself as a steady, reliable sidekick to Johnson. Morgan has had

seasons of 11, 22 and 19 catches the past three years with two scores each in 2013 and 2014 and five scores in 2015.

“We’ve had the chemistry since eighth grade, but this is the final shot to get to state which is the goal,” said Morgan, who recently got a college offer from Indiana State University. “We signal each other on and off the field if we see something on the field.”

Morgan arrived early to a Wednesday 8 a.m. team workout for a 7:30 a.m. run up and down the Oakleaf High stadium steps.

“I went out the first day by myself because I know I have to be better and a leader,” said Morgan, just 5-foot-11, 170 pounds. “Today, more people were asking about it and I had six guys join me. I just want to get more and more guys to have the same effort.”

Johnson, who has yet to garner a college offer, partly because of a lack of size, has been the focal point for Oakleaf’s offense.

“We certainly can’t replace a guy like Shaq on the sideline, but Rontrez and I both have to find a way,” said Johnson, who linked up with Morgan for a key 65 yard touchdown pass play in the Knights’ spring game against Robert E. Lee High. “The whole team has to want to be great and it’s my job to push us there.”

In the Lee spring game, Morgan had three pivotal plays for Oakleaf; a 90 yard kickoff return for a score, the 65 yarder and a second half 40 yarder that set up a short touchdown pass to Swain, who adds 200 track speed to the mix with Morgan for Johnson’s passes. Swain took an inside slant route 90 yards to paydirt against Lee to swing the momentum back to Oakleaf after a defensive fumble recovery.

“That’s what Jordan is good at out there,” said Reynolds. “He is so smart with his reads and we feel we will be able to make contact anywhere on the field.”

Johnson and Rontrez both have a knack for the big play, including Johnson’s favorite, a Hail Mary pass to graduated end Darius Perry against district rival Atlantic Coast two years ago that propelled the Knights to an undefeated season, a district title and a region championship berth, and Morgan’s being a key 45 yard pass to midfield against Niceville in the region 1-7A final two years ago, a 35-0 loss. Oakleaf success though has always been contingent on two things; pass pocket protection and good center snaps. Center snaps have become the Achilles Heel for the Knights offense with plenty of scoring drives stifled midway as Johnson was forced to scramble for a loose ball to his left or right.

“That is frustrating and I have to take ownership in working with the center to get that right,” said Johnson. “It’s the start of everything and I just have to get with those centers before and after practice to make that automatic.”

Johnson’s agility behind the line of scrimmage and his ability to throw on the fly have been trademarks of Oakleaf’s offense maintaining drives and also scoring off big plays.

“We try to keep him within the playbook out there, but there are times when he improvises with his passes that causes some initial anxiety, then a well done comes out of it,” said Reynolds. “Having a receiver like Rontrez opposite him in a scramble is a bonus because he also is smart enough to keep plays alive.”