In Drake's wake, NCT likes Ike

Over the course of the past 3 1/2 seasons, the Nature Coast Technical offense operated off bulldozing running back Tevin Drake.

Indeed, the Sharks could rely on Drake to lead them down the field and into the end zone, to the tune of 5,109 yards and 71 touchdowns in a varsity career resulting in a Division I scholarship from Western Michigan.

Isaac Bailey III is not Tevin Drake, though he is related to his predecessor as Nature Coast's starting tailback, a cousin on his mother's side of the family.

The team's new coach, Mark Nash, respects all that Drake accomplished, but isn't sitting around lamenting the loss of a player he watched from afar at Hudson High. Instead, he exudes confidence in the abilities of Drake's replacement.

"I think he's as good a running back as I've seen around here," Nash said of Bailey. "He's got unbelievable speed. You don't seem to get a full shot on him. You catch half of his frame all the time. He's been coached well for three years.

"I think he's the most overlooked player in this area offensively. He's a completely different type of runner than Tevin Drake. He's a speedy, slashing type of running back. Tevin Drake was a big fullback in a tailback's body type of runner. He's (Bailey) the perfect back for what we're looking for in our scheme."

That showed in Bailey's first go-around as the starter, albeit unofficially. In Nature Coast's spring classic at Tampa Catholic, Bailey roasted the reigning Class 2B state runner-up for 231 yards and a touchdown.

"I was proud of myself," said Bailey, a 17-year-old from Brooksville listed at 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds. "I'd never rushed for that many yards and had as many carries (14)."

Glimpse at the future?

The critical question for Bailey, and the Sharks, is whether or not that night at Tampa Catholic was a sign of things to come.

With Nash taking over the program, a team that built itself into the county's power running a grind-it-out, veer-option offense will attempt to evolve a more balanced attack.

Much focus will be placed under center, where ultra-talented senior Ja'Juan Story will shift from wide receiver as the team attempts to put the ball in the hands of a player whose skills have led to a verbal commitment to the University of Florida.

"I've just got to keep up with his speed," Bailey said of Story. "When we're doing the quick option plays, I've got to keep my speed up. I think we'll do well in the backfield together."

Nash cautioned that his offense isn't designed to be a one-man show and spoke with equal enthusiasm about his expectations for Bailey.

"I want him to lead the county in rushing and lead us into the playoffs," Nash said.

That's something Bailey has already accomplished on the defensive side of the ball. He was the hero of last season's Class 3A, District 6 three-way tiebreaker between Nature Coast, Hernando and Crystal River.

After Hernando had eliminated Crystal River, Bailey killed the Leopards' momentum by picking off a pass and returning it 25 yards for a touchdown. The host Sharks went on to win, 14-0, clinching their fourth consecutive playoff appearance as the 3A-6 runners-up.

Bailey had recorded a pair of interceptions three days earlier in a pivotal 22-20 win at Hernando that forced the tiebreaker. He finished the season with three picks to go along with 46 tackles, helping to fill the void in the defensive backfield left by graduated All-State cornerback Mike Fields.

He'll continue to start defensively even as his offensive duties increase considerably. Stuck behind Drake, he rushed only 19 times for 169 yards last year. He also had three receptions totaling 73 yards.

"It might be a little pressure on me," Bailey said of playing both ways. "But I'll try to stay focused and do my best. I have a backup behind me, so if I get tired I'll be able to switch out."

No pressure

As far as taking over for Drake, Bailey indicated feeling no pressure despite having to fill those considerably big shoes.

"It kind of motivates me," Bailey said of replacing Drake. "He's my cousin. I look up to him. He told me to stay healthy and do my best.

"... I learned a little bit (from Drake). He's a strong runner. That's what I see in him. I want to try to push myself to do that every play."

He said he'd like to match Drake's rushing total from 2009 (1,529), as well as bump up his interceptions and tackles. If he does that, he might have a shot at following Drake into the college ranks.

"That'd be a big goal," Bailey said. "Most people in this area want to see me make it. Not too many people from Brooksville make it."

BY THE NUMBERS: ISAAC BAILEY
RUSHING
YEAR ATT YDS AVG. TD LG
So 007 036 5.14 01 13
Jr 019 169 8.89 00 35
TOTALS 026 205 7.88 01 35

DEFENSE
YEAR SOLO ASST TTK TFL SK QBP CF FR BLK PB INT
So 00 02 02 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jr 30 16 46 0 0 0 1 2 0 4 3
TOTALS 30 18 48 0 0 0 1 2 0 4 3