By Ron White
MaxPreps.com
Seminole High School coach Mike Cullison has one basic approach to calling plays for his offense. He tries to include senior Andre Debose in all of them.
That’s not hard to do. After all, Debose is equally adept as a scrambling quarterback, a pocket passer, a running back and a wide receiver, and the 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior can score on nearly anything Cullison can dream up.
Debose proved that Friday in Seminole’s 21-6 win at DeLand. The highly-recruited Seminole star turned a third-and-33 pass play into a 72-yard touchdown run on a play that wasn’t even supposed to happen. Four Seminoles ran receiving patterns, and everyone from Cullison to DeLand’s defense to the guys in the press box expected Debose to launch one of his trademark rockets.
Everyone, that is, except Debose. Instead of throwing, Debose combined instinct with explosive speed, tackle-breaking agility and pure acceleration to break open the game with the long touchdown run up the middle of the field.
“It was an empty backfield. I knew coach wanted a pass. It just sort of happened,” Debose said.
It was his second big play in as many possessions. On Seminole’s first offensive play of the second half, Debose connected with receiver Toby Durham for a 75-yard touchdown. The receiver had beaten a DeLand defender on a deep route over the middle, and Debose spotted the mistake.
Debose credited the defense with winning the game for Seminole. Debose, though, played a big part in the offense, finishing the night with 124 passing yards and another 145 rushing yards on 13 carries, an average of 11 yards per rush.
And what does Debose have to say about his success? Only that it’s due to hard work.
“I’ve been playing football since I was 5,” said Debose, who is being recruited by more than two dozen BCS schools.
His well-honed ability was on display for a group that included Florida Gators coach Urban Meyer and an online publication that covers the Florida Gators. Debose likely impressed at least as much as DeLand running back Mike Gillislee, who was limited to 55 rushing yards on 25 carries, including a 28-yard third-quarter touchdown.
Dyron Dye, a Seminole defensive lineman, also impressed. Although Dye was nearly ejected for slamming his hands into the face mask of a DeLand lineman after an offsides call, he continues to showcase his strength, size and speed. The combination helped to bottle up the inside running game that is such a key part of DeLand’s game.
Ray Ray Armstrong, another key recruit from Seminole, had a 5-yard touchdown run in the first half. He was 2-for-3 passing for 27 yards.
Seminole, though, still has room for improvement, and it’ll need to work to put itself among the top tier of Class 6A schools. The Seminoles committed several costly penalties, including a few that kept alive stalled DeLand drives. The offense also got off to a slow start. Seminole will have another test Friday at home against Port Orange Spruce Creek.
DeLand (0-2) is a team still searching for its identity. The Bulldogs are much improved under new coach Kevin Pettis, but their losing streak continues. Gillislee is a fine athlete, and sophomore Pop Saunders has shown flashes of brilliance as both a running back and quarterback. Pettis paired the two together in DeLand’s backfield for part of the night, and they moved the ball well while Saunders took the snaps.
The Bulldogs travel to Spruce Creek for a Sept. 26 game. They have an open week this Friday.
Among other games in Week 2, Clermont East Ridge stunned state-ranked Kissimmee Osceola 16-14 on a 23-yard field goal. The drive started when East Ridge junior Fred Maxwell pulled down an interception. It was a nice rebound for a talented East Ridge team. The Knights (1-1) lost to rival South Sumter 24-20 in Week 1.
Fledgling Wekiva High got its first varsity win ever, and Hagerty, a second-year program, did, too, with a 35-28 road win at Oviedo. Both teams are now 1-1, and Wekiva lost a narrow 21-14 game in Week 1 to Winter Springs, which is 2-0 after defeating Winter Park 31-14 on Friday.
Winter Springs’ main offensive threat is making noise in Central Florida. Al-Terek McBurse, a major recruit among BCS schools in the southeast, has rushed for more than 400 yards in the Bears’ two games.
Meanwhile, the powerhouses continued to steamroll their opponents. Boone flattened Timber Creek 33-0, and Apopka, thought by some to be the preeminent Class 6A team the state, cruised to a 56-21 win against Freedom. One of the area’s best players, Jeremy Gallon, had another strong performance. He rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns and also scored on a 97-yard kickoff return.