ORANGE PARK - Orange Park football has seen some better days in the past with regional finals finishes, major college signings and NFL level players. Now the Raiders' newest coach, strength and defensive coach Jordan Smalenski, is looking to get the Raiders in better shape for 2026.

"I've lived in Fleming Island and have been commuting to Interlachen High School the past five years and this position at Orange Park High came up, and it got me closer to home," said Smalenski, who was a math teacher and a state champion linebacker at The Bolles School. "We got kids here that look like they want to workout, but I want to get them to the next level. We are working together to get used to each other."

Smalenski was patrolling the Raiders' weight room last week with coaches Kevin Elmore and Timothy Carter, ushered athletes to a plethora of reps at a fast-moving pace.

"It's going to be a new look because he (Smalenski) is all about results, week by week, though this is only day two," said Elmore, who has been on the Raiders' coach staff the past few years. "He is going to make them either step up or get out of the way."

He also had son, Kadin Elmore, who was a top athlete for the Raiders years earlier.

Smalenski is looking to find his baseline of athletes, then let them lead the team.

"It's been a bit of a culture shock, my approach, but the leaders will eventually step up, and then we can move forward," Smalenski said. "We'll get the fundamentals down - proper technique and understanding of reps, then [we'll] work on getting stronger. Right now, we are a little behind, but we are only in Day 2. It will come."

Head coach Marcus Wimberly selected quarterback hopeful Daeveon Williams to sling passes with this skill players, with an emphasis to learn the playbook.

"We had a solid spring game (a 19-19 tie with Sandalwood regulation that ended in an overtime loss), but we made some mistakes with a few drops and some bad reads on my part," said Williams, who looks to replace graduated Gabe Taylor (who signed with Webber International University). "I want to be a little more precise in understanding the entire scenario in front of me when I'm controlling the offense."

Williams did throw two touchdown passes in the spring game.

For Wimberly, who has been close to the playoffs in each of his four years for Orange Park, the key will be getting his players in the weight room and out at summer practices.

"We'll have probably four seven-on-sevens like we usually do, but we need to get in the weight room, and coach Smalenski is running that now and getting guys in the room," Wimberly said. "He's pushing them hard and I got a group that is showing up to lift with me at 5 a.m."