Many football players love to talk, whether it’s about themselves, their teammates or their opponents.
Strawberry Crest senior Cody McDaniel is not one of them, but he doesn’t need to be.
The soft-spoken giant just goes out there and does his thing every Friday night, and his coaches have been doing much of his talking for him.
“Cody would be one of those ‘lead by example’ kids,” head coach John Kelly says. “He’s not the most outspoken, he’s not one of those rah-rah kids — he just goes out there, goes about his business and does his job. I love that. He just does the right things.”
McDaniel, who is listed at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, is utilized along the offensive line and at the defensive end for
the Chargers. The fact that he lines up at DE isn’t surprising, because of his frame, but he’s also developed into a solid, reliable offensive lineman, despite being a little more svelte than others in the area.
To make up for his lighter weight, McDaniel has to be fundamentally sound — meaning that his footwork, among other things, dictates how his battles turn out. Learning footwork hasn’t been much of a problem.
McDaniel also has spent the past four years playing basketball for Strawberry Crest, as center, and depends on his footwork to win battles in the low post.
Obviously, a football lineman’s footwork is going to look different from a basketball center’s. Still, the extra work he’s put in has only helped him grow as an athlete.
As a 245-pound lineman, McDaniel is closer in size to the defensive ends he goes up against than the lineman next to him. If he didn’t have his footwork and technique down pat, he’d be in for some trouble.
“Hillsborough County speaks for itself,” Kelly says. “Just about every week, you’re going up against a Division I kid, someone who’s going to play defensive end in college, and you’re not finding a lot of defensive ends who weigh more than 245.”
McDaniel’s body of work speaks for itself and has drawn the interest of some NCAA programs. Purdue, Florida International, Air Force, Bowling Green State, and UConn, among others, have taken an interest in him.
When he does go to college, he plans to go through pre-med with hopes of one day working in anesthesiology.
For now, though, he’s focused on having a good year and protecting quarterback Tristan Hyde in the pocket.
“I just would like to do my best protecting Tristan,” he says. “On defense, I’d just like to get some sacks and tackles, and do the best I can to help out the team. I’ll play wherever I’m needed.”
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The Chargers are starting the season with Bloomingdale for the second year in a row, but they’re hoping that this year’s game will be different.
In 2013, the Bulls (6-4; 3-2 district) cruised to a 23-12 win on the strength of a three-touchdown performance by quarterback Isaiah McIntyre (one passing, two rushing). Chargers quarterback Tristan Hyde threw two touchdown passes, but the team couldn’t find a way to stop McIntyre and the Bloomingdale offense.
McIntyre, now a junior, is back. So are the team’s two top receivers from 2013, seniors Doug Sandberg (52 rec., 677 yds., 4 TD) and Logan Crouse (42 rec., 530 yds., 6 TD). The Bulls didn’t turn in as good a preseason performance as Crest did, beating Freedom High School 12-3 Aug. 22, but a win is a win.
Working in Crest’s favor is the fact that they’re getting the Bulls at home this time. The Chargers won’t be taking any chances. They know just as well as anyone that they have a pretty good shot at beating Bloomingdale tonight and avenging last year’s season-opening loss.
Durant has the unenviable task of traveling to Armwood to open up the 2014 season, following a wild 28-24 preseason win over Orlando-Oak Ridge last week.
Last year’s Armwood squad cruised past the Cougars, 48-6. The team is bringing back several standouts, including dual-threat quarterback Noah Johnson, who threw for 1,980 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for 809 yards and 14 scores, and leading wideout Trevor Laurent, who totaled 580 yards and five touchdowns.
Plant City will host Steinbrenner, a team that it beat, 25-10, in last year’s season opener. The Warriors are coming off of a pretty good win over Sunlake, 20-9, but Plant City just prevailed in a 14-12 slobber-knocker with Jefferson — no small feat.
The most notable returning Warrior is junior defensive lineman Andre Washington, who is coming off of a 70-tackle, 11-sack sophomore season. At 6-foot-1, 260 pounds, this kid is, unquestionably, a beast on the front line. But, if Plant City can get around Washington, then tonight’s result could look like last year’s.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.