The Future Looks Bright for Sharks Football

Nature Coast Tech

Team Overview:
Head Coach: Robert Kazmier • Previous Season Record: 8-3 • ’22 – ’23 Season Record: 7-4
Stadium: Shark Tank

“It is year two for me,” Nature Coast Head Coach Robert Kazmier said. “Things are moving pretty well. I am excited about where things are at. We are having one of the best summers I have ever been around – period – in my 18 years of coaching. So, that’s very inspiring.”

Earlier this year, Nature Coast Head Coach Robert Kazmier and company gutted out a last-minute 22-21 victory over Tavares in their spring jamboree. Before that, the Columbia Blue and Black had fallen to South Sumter 48-6 in the 2023 FHSAA Regional Quarterfinal. This highlighted a weakness for the Sharks that the head coach has worked hard to address – depth. The difference between the teams in the postseason matchup was stark, and the Raiders have the type of program Kazmier hopes to build through continuity.

“[Depth] affected us against South Sumter in the playoffs last year,” said Coach Kazmier. While the Sharks were still not where they needed to be depth-wise, the Raiders were subbing in “their whole D-Line left-and-right.” Though it was tough for them, they have made and are continuing to take strides in that department. “They just wear you down. They are like a buzzsaw. When you got the numbers that they have, they got some key talented guys that play both ways and a ton of speed, too […] that’s what you got to aspire to be.” Like the Raiders, Coach Kaz hopes to have senior classes of around 20 players who have grown together in the program. “That’s really how you build a healthy program.

Proper depth is important as, in years past, “we had about five or six players playing both ways.” The issue is that it gasses players and “takes away what kids are able to do” in the process, the coach continued. Not only does it tire them out, but it makes the players more injury-prone as there is such a high level of stress being put on their bodies.

With such a focus on depth and roster building, how is the team shaking out from a numbers standpoint this year? Coach Kazmier noted that the Sharks are comprised of roughly 40 freshmen, 35 sophomores, 35 juniors, and nine seniors. The headliner, of course, is Quarterback Jackson Hoyt, the ultra-talented multi-sport athlete who “lead[s] by example.” With the head coach having put significant effort into building the numbers, the team will hope to lift themselves beyond last year’s 8-3 record.

With a lot of size coming back on the offensive line, the coach is looking to not only mitigate the loss of Cromer to graduation but to allow the Sharks to operate a more balanced offense. The JV program is especially important when you consider that the Sharks have what Coach Kaz calls “a very special group” of freshmen ready to set foot on campus this fall. A statement like that could easily come off as coach speak, but Kazmier elaborated. His incoming class “might be the most talented that I’ve seen around this county since probably 2006 with Tevin Drake, Brady Ellis, and all those guys came into Nature Coast with Parrott,” said the Sharks’ head coach.

At this time, Kazmier actually has so many players on JV that he is likely going to have to hold tryouts to whittle the numbers down. Not a bad problem to have. “JV is the health of your program,” said the coach. It essentially acts as a feeder program to prepare younger players to step into larger roles with the team. He feels it is crucial to “develop discipline and create good habits when they are young” so they can step in and fill the voids left by graduating seniors.

Coach Kaz potentially sees OL Zack Selback and TE Grant Lanning, who attended the North Suncoast Media Day alongside him, playing both ways. They showed in their spring victory over Tavares and they are “phenomenal blockers on offense and then on defense they both play lights out.” In fact, Nature Coast’s entire 2026 lineman class looks to be a strength. Besides Selback and Lanning (who is a talented blocking tight end), Edward Lewis, Joey Nunez, Bryce Duval, and Tyler Deso are all important pieces of this puzzle.

“The success of an offense lies in the hands of the offensive line regardless of how many good skill players you have,” said Coach Kazmier.” You have to be able to open holes and protect the QB. These guys should be able to do both consistently. We expect our running game to be very dynamic.”

When asked what he feels his team could improve upon coming off an eight-win season, Coach Kaz responded yet again with depth as well as physicality, toughness, and speed. He noted various players, such as RB Tim Gaynor (T3) who will share the load in Cromer’s absence. Bringing the “spectacular” athlete L.J. Elwin over from Tampa Catholic, who already has an offer from Bethune-Cookman, is yet another piece the Sharks now have in the hopes of taking the next step. After returning from injury during the season, he will have the opportunity to show off his 4.4-like speed and agility.

Other players that have emerged and will be critical to Kazmier’s year two include Connor Riggins, who emerged as a “great #2 back” with enough speed to outrun defenders after they were worn down from going up against Cromer. Jasir Hardin and Zayden McKenzie demonstrated similar speeds and were “game-changers” on a JV squad that took down South Sumter’s underclassman team last season. Xavier McCullough is a “bruiser” from Middleton in Tampa who has played linebacker and “played awesome.”

“I want these guys to stay hungry and just work for everything,” said Coach Kazmier. “That’s my message for them. Earn it!! The internal competition we are setting up to have at Nature Coast will naturally develop our depth and it will help push us to a different level on Friday nights […] I’m very excited. The expectation’s very high. We are pretty confident we are going to be in the playoffs and making some noise.”

Sharks 2024 Schedule
8/30 vs. Pasco at 7:30 p.m.
9/6 @ Lecanto at 7:00 p.m.
9/13 vs. Hudson at 7:30 p.m.
9/20 vs. Palatka at 7:30 p.m.
9/27 @ Anclote at 7:30 p.m.
10/4 @ Springstead at 7:30 p.m.
10/11 vs. Dunedin at 7:30 p.m.
10/18 @ Land O’ Lakes at 7:30 p.m.
11/1 vs. Hernando at 7:30 p.m.