Tavares Optimistic About 2024 Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While many football programs head into the off-season with plenty of hope and energy for the future, very few actually keep that going. Not Tavares!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even though they were unbeaten through the first four games of the 2023 season, the Bulldogs finished 5-5, which became frustrating.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That frustration carried into the spring and summer, and head coach <strong>Gavin Jones</strong> and his football team did something about it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Those losses in the second half of the season were certainly a wakeup call for this team, and it carried over into January, February, March, April and into the spring and summer – as the Bulldogs worked harder to erase that nightmare ending.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the recent <strong><em>Florida Citrus Sports Media Days </em></strong>at Camping World Stadium, every player that attended wasn't ignoring last season, but they were more focused on this coming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If things are to turn around, it will be up to those seniors (2025) who will be needed for experience and leadership.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some of those prospects to keep an eye on:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jeremy Batista, OL/DL, 5-8, 190 – 3.52 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/17692402/Jeremy-Batista" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/17692402/Jeremy-Batista</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tyler Davis, RB/LB, 5-9, 180 – 2.85 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/16277235/Tyler-Davis</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jamarcus Pugh, LB, 5-10, 155.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/16362874/Jamarcus-Pugh</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AWAITING VIDEO</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kade Allgood (DB, 5-9, 165 – 3.3 GPA)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Josh Bell (OL, 5-11, 250)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Damarius Duggs (OL)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Devin Hammond (Athlete, 5-10, 160 – 3.22 GPA)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Isaiah Ludwig (DB/WR, 5-11, 170 – 3.0 GPA)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PLENTY TO LOOK FROWARD TO IN THE FUTURE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If this team is to get over the .500 mark in 2024 and beyond, it will be the talented underclassmen who will have the spotlight shining in their direction.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at those prospects to keep an eye on:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS OF 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Khairi Coleman, QB/SS, 5-6, 155 – 2.5 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/18555609/Khairi-Coleman</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kylan Doster, SS/DB, 6-2, 180.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/18555569/Kylan-Doster</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Simeon Jenkins, RB/DB, 5-9, 160.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/18299084/Simeon-Jenkins</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preston Magann, K/P, 5-8, 160 – 2.74 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/18494996/Preston-Magann</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alberto Mata, OL, 6-0, 270 – 2.76 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/19369806/Alberto-Mata</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Beckman Peters, WR/S, 6-2, 165 – 3.11 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/18495024/Beckman-peters</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1266680' first='Izayia' last='Williams'], Athlete, 6-1, 215 – 2.62 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/19669722/Izayia-Williams" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/19669722/Izayia-Williams</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AWAITING VIDEO</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Artavius Riley (WR/SS, 5-10, 180)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS OF 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ari Bentley, LB/HB, 5-10, 210 – 4.0 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/19603950/Ari-Bentley</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jelani Bentley, LB/HB, 5-10, 205 – 3.9 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/19603969/jelani-bentley</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Melvyn Chavez, DT, 5-8, 200 – 2.78 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/19696374/Melvyn-Chavez</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tamauri Collins, RB/DB, 5-6, 135 – 3.14 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/19474574/Tamauri-Collins">https://www.hudl.com/profile/19474574/Tamauri-Collins</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ky-Mani Gardner, RB/DB, 5-11, 180 – 3.85 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: </strong><a>https://www.hudl.com/profile/19522526/KyMani-Gardner</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AWAITING VIDEO</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ashlyn Gunn (WR, 5-8, 135 – 2.62 GPA)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Florida Summer 30 Football Teams. </strong><a>https://prepredzone.com/2024/06/florida-summer-30-teams/</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Statewide Coverage Daily.</strong> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/florida/">https://prepredzone.com/florida/</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at:</strong> <a>Floridakids1@aol.com</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>COACHES, PLAYERS: Do You Have&nbsp; A Subscription? Contact us for a savings code so you can see what everyone has been talking about! </strong><a>Floridakids1@aol.com</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1354520,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/Tavares-New-Photo1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1354520" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">While many football programs head into the off-season with plenty of hope and energy for the future, very few keep that going. Not Tavares!</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->