5 reasons why Sanford Seminole will be a 4M contender under 1st-year head coach Karl Calhoun Jr.
SANFORD, FLORIDA- 2022 was a tough season to swallow for Sanford Seminole.
Aspirations of winning a state championship were washed away in a region semifinal loss to rival Lake Mary in the Class 4M playoffs.
Not having Luke Rucker definitely hurt the Seminoles’ title chances, but then after the season the program saw then head coach Eric Lodge accept a new gig in South Carolina.
Enter alum Karl Calhoun Jr. as the program’s new head coach and he’s all too familiar of how things should be ran in Seminole land. He donned the black and orange, now leading the program himself. We give you five reasons why things will be just fine under his watch.
5. Familiarity with the program
Bokey! That was the first word Karl Calhoun Jr. tweeted out when announcing he had accepted the head coaching job at Sanford Seminole. He’s very familiar with the word from his time playing for the Seminoles. A former linebacker within the program, Calhoun Jr. played from 2009-2012 before playing at Virginia Union University. Having this team in position to win in Class 4M will be the goal knowing that was the standard upheld.
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4. Quarterback battle will bring out the best
When Luke Rucker went down with an injury last season, then-sophomore David Parks, who also played some tight end, stepped in under center. Playing admirably for Rucker, Parks completed 38-of-75 passes for 516 yards and eight touchdowns. He’ll have some competition for the job from Trent Sims and Lake Highland Prep transfer Karson Siqueiros-Lasky, who played at Seminole as a freshman and sophomore. Whomever wins the quarterback battle will help make the new coach’s life a little easier in making a run through 4M.
3. Many defensive players are back
This defense from a year ago was pretty stout, notching multiple shutouts (Sarasota Riverview, Evans) and many of the defenders from 2022 are back. One of those players is 4-star rated linebacker Ethan Pritchard, who led the team in tackles last season. Pritchard had 61 tackles and owns offers from Auburn, Florida and Florida State to name a few. This defense will be tough to score against this fall, which fits Calhoun’s background as a player that used to play on the defensive side of the ball. Defense wins championships they say and this one could be that good.
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2. Michael Key will be the key on offense
No pun intended there, but really, Michael Key will be crucial to the Seminoles’ offensive attack and that’s no secret whatsoever. With Rucker, Rory Thomas and Goldie Lawrence now graduated, Key becomes the go-to-guy on offense for Seminole and he will be the best friend of whomever wins the quarterback battle. Key last season notched 40 catches for 680 yards and could be in line to try and crack over 1,000 this fall. Needing a Power Five-level playmaker is a must if Seminole is to being a state title contender.
1. Winning culture breeds championships
The standard is the standard. Winning two state championships and reaching the final four twice brings a certain kind of aura around your program. At Seminole, the winning culture of the football program outreaches throughout the community and brings a next level atmosphere on Friday nights. Calhoun Jr. following up former head coach Eric Lodge will be no easy task, but if anyone can do it, it’s someone who has played within the program and is accustomed to the tradition of competing deep into the playoffs.
Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.
