RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesRoster turnover will always be a hurdle for high school football coaches, but the problem is a little different at IMG.
The Ascenders have a lot of defensive production to replace from last year's defensive line, headlined by Oklahoma signee Jake Kreul, Georgia signee Preston Carey, Indiana Signee Cam McHaney, And Ohio State signee Cam Brickle.
With such a stacked front graduating, most high school programs would have a lot of production to make up for. But IMG Academy is not like most high school football programs.
Last year's sack leader returns in 5-star EDGE Zyron Forstall, and this year's incoming transfers help comprise what may be the deepest position room at IMG Academy.
Forstall is ranked as the No. 5 overall player in the USA TODAY Florida Top 100 and the No. 5 EDGE in the nation on Rivals. He tallied a team-best 5.0 sacks through eight games for the Ascenders, with 28 tackles and 9.0 going for a loss. He was one of the first blue-chip recruits in Florida to commit this cycle, naming Texas A&M in March over his hometown LSU Tigers, Miami, and others.
"Coach Elko is a head coach that really focuses on defense," Forstall said. "He's a defensive guy. And I feel like that relationship has really helped me trust that he'll do what's best for me as far as putting me in the best defensive fronts possible to be successful in the SEC. A sack a game can get you a top-5 pick."
Forstall's commitment was the first in a wave of elite players in Florida to commit to Elko & Co. Less than two months later, the Aggies beat Miami for 5-star St. Thomas Aquinas OT Mark Matthews - a statement recruiting win over the Canes that have long pursued the No. 1 player in the state. Next came Tampa Jesuit LB Kaden Henderson , the No. 6 player in the state consensus top-5 linebacker in the country.
Fellow Ascender Eric McFarland III, the No. 8 player in the state, committed to the Aggies in June. With McFarland's commitment, they hold commitments from four of the top 10 players in the state. Texas A&M is closing on in-state talent at an unprecedented rate , and Forstall says seeing the class come together since pledging in March has helped reaffirm his decision.
"It feels amazing, and it also let's me know that my decision was a good one because I'm not the only person that saw what I saw with A&M," Forstall said. "Other people saw it. And these 'other people' are also elite athletes who are driven to be great, who want to go to the league. So I feel like being around like-minded players like that, elite players, it let me know A&M is the place."
Forstall was not the only elite edge rusher in Florida that the Aggies beat Miami for. The Canes were also in the hunt for Jones' Fred Ards III (No. 29), and had him in a group chat with head coach Mario Cristobal and defensive line coach Jason Taylor. Ards III named Texas A&M over Miami, Florida State, Syracuse, and others. Both Forstall and Ards III have raved about the blueprint laid out for them and the environment in College Station.
"I'm already deep in the playbook," Forstall said. "I'm already changing my game and bettering my game off of what (the coaching staff) has taught me. I really trust that development piece... And (College Station) felt like a peaceful place where I can actually focus on football and just develop - that's the main thing, I want to develop."
With his recruitment solidified, Forstall's focus is on his senior year at IMG. He's been saying since February that he knows he'll be in college soon, and everything has been geared towards getting ready for that leap. As he improves his already impressive technique and mechanics as a pass rusher, he's also stepping into a more intangible role for the Ascenders ahead of his last year in high school.
"It's my senior year," Forstall said. "I get to be a leader on the team, possibly even a captain. So I'm really looking forward to stepping into that role, being a vocal leader - leading by example as well. And really just pushing people, making other people want to be great."
Forstall's leadership is already registering for the Ascenders. Returning players can see the difference from him and the other key returners like quarterback Jayden Wade , and new arrivals are enamored by the brotherhood forming in this year's team.
EDGE Ismael Schiefer arrived from Grayson (Ga.) for his sophomore year. The 6-foot-4, 260 pound junior says the players are already taking control of the program before their first day in pads.
"One thing this year's team and last year's team have in common is the brotherhood and how we push each other and stick together," Schiefer said. "It's not really how the coaches push us, but how we push each other. (The coaches) always tell us if this is a coach-led team, it's never going to work. And I felt like last year we embraced that, but this year we've really ran with it. Last year it was kind of slower and we eventually caught on, this year it was immediate... The team has changed a lot"
Azhir Waddell arrived from North Carolina in January, and 6-foot-5, 290 pound defensive lineman the can already see the difference in just a few months of offseason training.
"This is a player led team, it's not a coach-led team" Waddell said. "So all of this is really based off of us, and everybody pushes each other to get better every day and makes sure everybody's good. We have the best staff, so if we get hurt or anything we have the people around us to help us get better as an athlete and making sure we're just ready mentally."
In addition to Waddell and Schieffer, IMG has also brought in 4-star junior DL Chase Foster II 3-star junior EDGE Andre Robinson. The defensive line groups transfers are start...
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