Hilton Head High coach taking on a new approach this season
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth in a series of previews of area high school football teams.
Hilton Head High School football coach BJ Payne is taking on a new approach offensively, one he hopes will stifle their opponents.
“There’s some new terminology and some new schemes,” said Payne. “It’s just a matter of understanding this is what we’re doing and this is why we’re doing it.”
Even with the small roster, linebacker Landon Jenkins has confidence in his team. “As a linebacker, when we call the play, we have to make sure everyone repeats it and hears it,” Jenkins said. “As long as we are focused and ready, I feel as though we have enough skilled players that no matter how young they are, we can compete. Our team is really young. We’re short on numbers but our starters are seniors and are very strong.”
The Seahawks have a playmaker in Tyreke Young. The standout defensive end has nine offers, and Payne says he’s in a league of his own. Payne plans to get Young involved more offensively this season now that they’ve graduated a good portion of their offense from a year ago.
“In the last three years, I think we’ve had 12 DI kids that were skill guys, so we didn’t have to use him on offense,” said Payne. “He’s a very elite pass rusher off the edge. He has a burst off the edge that a lot of kids don’t have.”
The Seahawks will lean on a large senior class to shoulder the load, but the inexperience doesn’t baffle Young.
“I don’t think any other team has worked as hard as we have this summer,” said Young. “I think all of our hard work is going to show on the field. We’ve been working hard all summer; lifting weights and two-a-days. Were trying to get the younger guys active, and I think if we keep working we’ll be ready for our season opener.”
And special teams will also be something to watch.
Payne believes kicker Johnathon Orr will be a DI recruit, which means if they can’t get in the end zone, they’ll have another way to score.
Hilton Head High Seahawks
- Region: Region 8, Class 4A
- Coach: BJ Payne (sixth year; 33-22)
- 2016 Record: 6-5
- Best-case scenario: The Seahawks are longing for respect from their peers and that seems to be the focus as they try to create a new image. Quarterback Collin Kaiser threw for more than 3,000 yards last season but that may not have turned as many heads as they liked. Yet it’s clear the Seahawks have enough firepower to move the ball up and down the field. Despite losing several big targets, don’t expect the freight train to slow down anytime soon.
Key returners
- Joey Kurkul – C
- Collin Kaiser – QB
- Landon Jenkins – LB
- Tyreke Young – DE
Schedule
- Aug. 25: at Whale Branch
- Sept. 1: Battery Creek
- Sept. 8: at May River
- Sept. 15: Bluffton
- Sept. 22: at Ridgeland-Hardeeville
- Sept. 29: Berkeley
- Oct. 6: at Cane Bay
- Oct. 13: Colleton County
- Oct. 20: at Stall
- Oct. 27: Beaufort
Coaches, report your scores
A reminder that our policy is to print all fall sports scores and game recaps submitted to us by coaches or their designee. Results must be typed and sent by email to sports@islandpacket.com. No phone results will be accepted. Results sent in publishable form — complete sentences, athletes’ first and last names, etc — will be published online the following day and in the soonest possible print edition.
This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Hilton Head High coach taking on a new approach this season."