First Coast defense dominates in shutout of Fernandina Beach

It won't count in the standings once fall rolls around.

But after a spring without football, returning to the gridiron for a real contest meant a little bit more.

"The best thing about it is we're playing football again," said First Coast's Marty Lee, the longest-serving football coach active in Duval County Public Schools. "That's the most enjoyable thing. It's been a good four weeks."

And, for the Bucs, the win didn't hurt, either.

First Coast's swarming defense forced a pair of early turnovers and rolled to a 33-0 victory over visiting Fernandina Beach at the Shipyard Friday night, capping the spring football campaign for both.

For both teams, kickoff marked the start of the first spring game since 2019. The 2020 spring football season, along with all other high school sports in Florida, was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

1. Bucs shine in pass rush

The pass rush was a traditional strength for the Buccaneers during their early-2010s heyday. That might be on the way back up.

First Coast overpowered the Pirates' line repeatedly, forcing multiple sacks and hurries, and also recorded a second-quarter safety when Miles Smith and several Bucs teammates combined to sack Fernandina Beach quarterback Chris Turner in the end zone.

That was just one highlight in an excellent first half for the First Coast defense, which also stuffed Fernandina Beach on a fourth-down try and knocked loose a pair of first-quarter fumbles, recovered by the Bucs' Anthony Bivines.

"I was really impressed with our pass rush," Lee said. 

2. Cam Miller a superb athlete

With four stars and a plethora of offers from major college programs, Fernandina Beach's Cam Miller entered the game among Northeast Florida's most coveted recruits.

And while the game situation limited his highlights — unlike last fall, Miller didn't line up at quarterback, and playing with no live special teams kept him from showcasing his return abilities — there's no doubt about his athletic talents.

In addition to pass coverage, Miller looked active in run support, particularly on one play when he sliced into the backfield from safety to blow up an outside rush behind the line.

No matter the numbers on the scoreboard Friday, Miller said he's optimistic for the 2021 Pirate campaign. Fernandina Beach achieved the first Florida High School Athletic Association playoff victory in school history last fall.

"We've got to grind that weight room out," he said. "I feel like things will come along."

3. First Coast offense shows promise

When Fernandina Beach turned over early, First Coast took advantage.

Bucs quarterback Larry Edwards threw a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes, a 35-yard bomb to Devion Hopkins and a 4-yard toss to Donald Lundy.

While First Coast usually avoided passing in Miller's direction, they found success in matchups elsewhere in the Pirate secondary, and Edwards several times found receivers on target while scrambling.

Derrick Snider also gained ground in the battle for playing time in the running game, tallying a touchdown from two yards out.