The guest for our Florida 4 Questions with the Coach segment this week is Yulee head football coach Kyle Dougherty, who was hired in March 2021 to take over the Hornets program. Dougherty arrived at Yulee from Rockledge High, where he was the team’s offensive coordinator, as well as special teams coordinator. What you may not know about Coach Dougherty is that he was a standout kicker for Merritt Island, and he went on to kick at Southern Illinois University. So you can bet Dougherty works closely with his kickers in the Yulee football program.
But as head coach, there’s a lot more to making sure he keeps the Hornets headed in the right direction, and so far that’s exactly where he has them going. Yulee is coming off its first trip to the playoffs since 2016, and with one of the strongest defensive units in Northeast Florida, the Hornets should have a great shot at the postseason in 2023. Let’s ask the coach about that in this week’s 4 Questions with the Coach feature with Yulee head football coach Kyle Dougherty.
Q. Coach Dougherty, thanks for doing this with us! Let’s talk about your first two seasons as the Yulee head football coach. How would you say things have gone – as expected, or maybe exceeded your expectations?
A. I would say as expected. There have been ups and downs, ebbs and flows. In my first year, we were very competitive in tough games, and we lost three games by less than seven points. This year three of our four losses were by less than five points, and their combined record was 24-6. We are signing eight student-athletes to college scholarships this year. Making our first playoff appearance since 2016 was a big step in the right direction. I hope we can use this momentum moving forward.
Q. Even though you have the offensive background, it’s been your team’s defense that has really stood out these last couple of years. You guys were a top-5 defense in Northeast Florida in 2021 and 2022. What has been the key to producing such a strong defensive unit, and how is the defense looking heading into the 2023 season?
A. I only had these guys for two years, so a lot of credit has to go to this group’s development at the younger stages. We brought some defensive philosophies that have helped the last couple years, a more bend-don’t-break mentality. I think a lot of what attributes to our success defensively is that we stay simple, so we line up sound and let our athletes play freely.
Q. Let me ask you about your team’s returning personnel, including any new transfers you may have picked up. Who do you have back, and who do you lose to graduation?
A. Offensively we are losing seven starters. Over half of our offensive production graduates. All three receivers and our quarterback are all going to play college football. Zack Drawdy is already at UConn and he had a touchdown in their spring game last week. We will definitely miss their presence. I’m really excited about our one transfer who came back to us from Trinity. Tyson Wharton is a good-looking kid who has been really impressive in 7v7 and the weight room. He will be a good addition to the guys coming up from JV on that receiving core.
There is a lot of talent in that group, and I’m excited to see them in their new roles being the top guys on campus now. Teonte Artis-Croxton and Coen Brehmer are returning at running back. Teonte has done a phenomenal job in the weight room this offseason, and Coen placed second in the state at the weight lifting tournament.
Defensively, we lose two talented safeties, one going to FIU, and one linebacker and one defensive lineman. All four guys going to play college football. That production will be missed. We do have our leading tackler, Amauri Goff, who will be a junior this coming year. Rylan Hale is an All-State ATH and dominated both sides of the ball. I’m really excited to have the impact of Braylen Ricks on our defense for an entire season. He was really crucial during the last few games when we needed wins to get in the playoffs. LJ Jacobs is a 6-foot-1 safety getting a lot of college attention. I feel that we have about 16 to 18 kids who can play high-level varsity football on our defense. I expect to have a lot of fresh bodies and several guys getting an opportunity to show what they can do.
Q. Coach Dougherty, what’s the plan for your Yulee football team this offseason? Do you plan to be active in 7-on-7s? What are the things you want to see your staff focus on making the team better before the season rolls around?
A. We are involved in the FHS7v7A and are going to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 7v7 event. We are really focused on some fundamental philosophies on how to operate within practice. We are seeking to play faster and bring a positive atmosphere throughout our program.
