High school football preview: No. 1 IMG Academy 2020 schedule, players to watch

Among the big questions entering the 2020 high school football season wasn't how good IMG Academy could be, but would the Ascenders have the opportunity to take the field amid the pandemic. With governing bodies around the country altering schedules, the Florida power found itself with giant holes in its national schedule.

But IMG Academy – No. 1 in the preseason MaxPreps Top 25 – pieced together an eight-game schedule. The Ascenders will be involved in perhaps the biggest out-of-state game of the season, traveling to Texas to take on two-time 6A runner-up Duncanville on Oct. 10.

IMG begins its season Friday at Venice (Fla.) in a game that will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Entering their ninth season as a program, the Ascenders have had some great teams in the past but this one might be the most talented and is the first to begin the year ranked No. 1.

Bobby Acosta takes over for Kevin Wright. Acosta was the offensive coordinator at College of St. Scholastica last season and had previously coached at Syracuse, Cornell and Bucknell. Wright, now a tight ends coach at Indiana, compiled a 44-2 record in five seasons at IMG.

The Ascenders' offense is in the hands of Michigan-bound J.J. McCarthy, a top 25 prospect in the senior class according to 247Sports. The Illinois transfer threw for over 6,300 yards and 71 touchdowns over the last two seasons, winning a state title as a sophomore.

McCarthy has playmakers surrounding him, led by the backfield tandem of junior Georgia commit Lovasea’ Carroll and Kaytron Allen, the ninth-rated running back in the Class of 2022.

Alabama-bound five-star prosect Jacorey Brooks leads a stellar receiving corps after transferring from Booker T. Washington (Miami), joining Malik McClain, Shawn Miller and Ari Allen. In the trenches

The offensive line might be IMG's biggest strength led by senior Alabama commit J.C. Latham, the No. 3 prospect overall and top-rated offensive tackle in the country. St. John's (Washington, D.C.) transfer Colin Henrich bolsters a crew that also includes Michigan-bound Greg Crippen, Boston College commit Ilija Krajnovic, Tyler Booker and Dayne Shor.

Omar Burroughs, Markevious Brown and Jamarion Ellis return and are joined by high-profile transfers Malik Bryant, Marlin Dean, Daylen Everette, Anthony Hundley, Jordan Hall, Trevon Howard, Dominick James, Sam Ofurie, Xavian Sorey and Kamari Wilson.

Coronavirus cancellations across the country forced the Ascenders to retool their schedule as teams either delayed schedules or shifted to the spring.

•  Original opponents — Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.), Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.), Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) and St. John's (Washington, D.C.). All were ranked in the preseason Top 100 and three were in the Top 25.

• New opponents — No. 6 Duncanville (Texas) and No. 28 Edgewater (Orlando). IMG also is looking to book No. 10 Northwestern (Miami).

Here's a complete look at IMG's 2020 slate:

Nov. 13 — vs. West Toronto Prep (Toronto, Ontario)