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JV Player's Skills Get Coaches Talking

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 21, 2007

PLANT CITY - Three-year starter Jeremy Fussell will not be an easy player to replace at quarterback, but the Durant High Cougars have a plan.

Or do they?

Promising junior varsity starter Je'Twan Smith was believed to be the player who would slide into the quarterback position as a sophomore next season. But after what happened in Durant's season-ending 20-10 victory over Bloomingdale, the Cougar coaching staff has some discussing to do.

With Fussell participating in his last game Nov. 9 as a senior, Smith played running back and performed exceptionally well.

Smith ran for 206 yards on 26 carries.

"Well, it will depend on what we want to do next year," Durant head coach Mike Gottman said. "If we want to try and spread people out and pass it around some, Je'Twan will probably be the quarterback. But if we want to line it up and run it, he'll probably be a running back."

It's hard to imagine a freshman being such an integral part of a team's planning, but Smith's talents are special.

As a runner, Smith would give Durant more of an outside speed presence. This year, most of Durant's running was up the middle.

Ryan Rice, who will return for his senior year, led the team with more than 700 yards on the ground.

Fussell, who ran for nearly 300 yards and passed for 800 more, is not the only key senior leaving the offensive side of the ball. Leading pass catcher Royce Rose is a senior as are three members of the offensive line: center Josh Piascik, left tackle Grant Sizemore and right guard David Zanato. Split end Damon Kolanowski also graduates.

The defense will have the majority of its players back but will be left with a big hole to fill in the middle as senior leader Eric Councill departs.

"Huge loss. Eric is a great kid, great leader and a great player. He will be missed," Gottman said.

Councill is the only member of the linebacker or defensive back corps that is a senior. Michael Jean, who switched from offensive line to have an outstanding year at defensive end, is a senior as are fellow linemen Glenn Booth and Daryl Broadnax.

Marson Shoemake, who ran for two touchdowns Nov. 9 against Bloomingdale, is a junior.

Durant finished the year with a 5-5 record, which is a better overall mark than Sarasota Riverview - a team that the Cougars beat, but ended up winning District 6A-6.

"That's very frustrating for us," Gottman said. "It's frustrating as a football program and as a coaching staff. But we know we were close."

Sarasota Riverview's close losses came out of district. The Rams were 3-7 in the regular season but in the district they were 2-1 beating Riverview and Sarasota.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampa trib.com.

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