If there’s one thing that Durant’s opponents haven’t been able to say this season, it’s that they didn’t see Garrett Rentz coming.
Standing 6-foot-6, it’s really hard to miss him.
But, the junior has gotten used to being taller than most, just as he is getting used to life on the varsity team. While the Cougars’ 3-6 season and ongoing struggles haven’t made for the smoothest transition, it looks like head coach Mike Gottman has found a potential game-changer for his offense going forward.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised with him this season,” Gottman says.
If his listed height as it appears on MaxPreps is correct, which certainly appears to be true, Rentz is the tallest wide receiver in the district. More importantly, that also makes him bigger than every defensive back in the district: His closest rival, East Bay’s Anton Crutcher, stands at 6-foot-3.
He’s built like a basketball two-guard, with a lanky frame and a wingspan that can intimidate many cornerbacks. The hang time is even there when he has to go airborne to catch a Trey VanDeGrift pass.
The matchup nightmare that Rentz creates just by physically being on the field, coupled with his flair for the dramatic diving catch, in time, could be forged into a weapon unlike anything the other schools possess. But, for now, he and his coach know that there’s still some work to be done.
“Timing my jumps and footwork — I’ve got to get faster,” Rentz says. “I’ve got to be able to beat defensive backs off the line, to get behind them.”
But, that’s just his opinion. Gottman’s is different.
“He over-analyzes things too much at times, instead of just going up and catching the football,” the coach says.
That’s not a bad problem to have, especially for someone in his first year as a starter. The foot speed will either come with time, or he and the coaches will find another way to play to his strengths. That mind of his, constantly working, is just a part of his overall game.
Considering his workload in the classroom, it’s easy to see why he might think things through a little too thoroughly. Rentz is currently taking three Advanced Placement classes — and doing well.
“I’m taking AP History, AP Chemistry and AP English Language,” Rentz says. “A’s and B’s. I’m doing pretty well.”
Rentz is considering the University of South Florida for college, but playing football on the next level isn’t his top priority right now.
“It would be nice,” Rentz says.
FLYIN’ HAWAIIAN
Football wasn’t even a part of Rentz’s life for quite a while. After living in Hawaii for much of his life, he moved to Florida with his family after finishing sixth grade, and it was then that he decided to play football.
Rentz didn’t take long to pick up on the game. After getting comfortable as a wide receiver, he decided to learn another part of the game to set him apart from the rest of the pack: the art of long snapping.
“We’re good family friends with an old long snapper who used to go here, Colin McDougall, and his dad taught me how to do it,” Rentz says. “When I was a freshman, I just kind of threw myself out there just to get on the field.”
And it worked. He’s not the team’s primary long snapper but was tasked with replacing Mason Bridges for a few weeks after Bridges injured his hand.
“He’s very good at it,” Gottman says. “He did it his freshman year; he did it in Little League.”
Bridges had his cast removed and already has relieved Rentz of his long-snapping duties, but it may not be the last time the wideout lines up in the middle of a punt formation.
Now, Rentz is focused on his duties as a receiver, and things have been picking up for him.
His season stats aren’t great, which also can be said for the rest of the Durant offense, and he entered last week’s game against Hillsborough with 113 total yards and one touchdown. But, he absolutely torched the Terriers in the first half, picking up 82 of his 89 yards and both touchdowns in the second quarter.
The Cougars took their first lead of the game on Rentz’s 12-yard touchdown grab and took another lead just before halftime when he scored from 60 yards out. Kameron Joyce put the icing on that cake with a two-point conversion, making it a 22-15 game.
Rentz has 11 catches for 202 yards, sporting a respectable 18.4 yards-per-catch average. College scouts haven’t come knocking — yet. But, with his size — and with some work on his fundamentals — Rentz could become a hot prospect next year.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
OTHER AREA ACTION
Plant City at Brandon
Last Week: Plant City dominated Strawberry Crest, 41-14, while Brandon fell to East Bay, 22-21.
Notes: This is what this Plant City team is capable of when everybody’s having a great day. Crest didn’t go down without a fight, playing with heart all night, but the Raiders were just on another level. Aside from Landon Galloway and the offense putting on a clinic, it’s also worth noting that DE John Broome kept Austin Carswell in check with four sacks. As for Brandon, they faced a 15-7 deficit for much of the game, but a 14-point rally in the fourth quarter wasn’t enough to save the Eagles. The last thing they needed was a loss before taking on a fired-up Raiders team.