Byrnes Week!!

 

 Florida State's Nick O'Leary 

Did you guys see this kid play on Saturday night?  This player (#35) Nick O'Leary was unstoppable.  He ran through Clemson's defense all evening.  I actually felt sorry for one of Clemson's defensive backs who came up and tried to tackle this kid one on one.....O'Leary just lowered his shoulder and ran over the kid.  It was brutal.  FSU has Nick playing tight-end and sort of an "H" back position on the team.  Coach Jimbo Fisher must have a great time trying to decide where to use him next.  This kid is simply a beast. 

In case you did not know, Nick OLeary is the grandson of Jack Nicklaus.  Nick played his HS football at Willian T Dwyer (Dwyer) in Palm Beach County Florida.  We (at Sebastian River High School) played Dwyer in the playoffs a few year's ago.  O'Leary was a special player then, but he has continued to get better and better.  This powerful Junior will be playing on Sunday for sure. 



Duncan Byrnes High School 

 

 

I am heading up North to see my dad this week.  However, I am stopping by Kristin's house to see the babies.  On Friday night, me and Joey are going to watch the best HS football program I have ever seen.....Byrnes High School (BHS) play a district game against Mauldin High School in Greenville, South Carolina. 

 

Many of you know I have been around the block a few times here in Florida.  I have been around some of the great high school programs in the State including: Aquinas, Vero Beach, Bolles, Manatee, to name a few.  A few years ago, I was introduced to BHS with a clouded opinion.  I truly thought there is no way a program from South Carolina could ever be a good as a program from Florida....I was dead wrong.  I was shocked to say the least. 

 

Marcus Lattimore  & Chas Dodd 

 

Let me try to describe what a home game is like.  This team averages 7000 fans for every home game...crowds of 10K are not unusual.  Parking?  Forget about parking if you arrive after 5:30.  Be prepared for a long walk from the car.  The first thing that you notice is a HUGE JumboTron scoreboard which is playing commercials from various businesses throughout the region.  TV stations are playing "Live" remotes from the stadium.  There is usually a plane or some type of blimp circling the field with advertising or carrying a television camera.  There are several food venues selling game food of all types....but the best thing going are the "Byrnes Hot Dogs" sold at the concession stand.  These are simple all-beef hot dogs with just a simple line of sweet chili and mustard across the top.  The best hot dogs I have had from anywhere. 

 

This team is sponsored by Nike....which means there are brand new uniforms every year for the team.  What happens to the old jerseys?  Well, last year's jerseys are sold to the public at $35 a pop...and they go like hot cakes.  The crowd is awash in a sea of blue and white jerseys and "Byrnes Nation" attire.  The band is awesome and plays at the correct times.  This time of year means there will be a nip in the air, and you will not sweat your ass off watching the game.  It is just the perfect atmosphere to watch a HS football game. 

 

 

Byrnes actually has four (4) different teams playing.  They do have a 7th and 8th grade team which fields about 125 kids.  They also have a 9th grade team of about 125 kids.  Byrnes fields a JV team (10th and 11th graders) with over 100 kids, and the Varsity team (11th and 12th graders) fields over 100 players at all times.  The team generally takes the field in the endzone lined up shoulder to shoulder, sideline to sideline spilling over the field boundaries.  This show of depth is overwhelming to most teams.  Byrnes does not substitute one player at a time, they generally substitute  in waves...like four linemen at a time for instance.  This team will wear an opponent down with pure depth. 

 

I remember telling the coaches back here about this Byrnes team.  It just so happened that one of the best teams in Florida (PAHOKEE that year) came up to Byrnes to play a game early in the season.  Pahokee gets off the bus with about 30 players.  Byrnes takes the field with over 100 players.  Pahokee held their own for about a quarter.....then it was all Rebels from that point.  Later in the year, Tallahassee Lincoln (6A State Champion) came up to play a game.  Lincoln had more kids than Pahokee, but the result was the same...blowout. 

 

The upstate region in South Carolina plays very good football.  Overall, I would say that most teams in the region would be very competitive in a Florida district.  A team like Byrnes would play in a Florida 6A classification. 

 

This is going to be fun! 

 

Later GZ