GALLERY: Skill players shine for Dr. Phillips in spring jamboree at Bishop Moore

ORLANDO — Those familiar with the Dr. Phillips football program know that, when it comes to the Panthers and their talent and depth, there’s more than meets the eye.

That is to say, whatever and whomever you might see on the field for Dr. Phillips, it’s a good bet there are several players waiting their turn — underclassmen, mostly — that not only would be starters anywhere else, but are Division I-caliber prospects.

So then, it’s not surprising that in the team’s first game since its season ended in the Class 8A Regional Finals last fall, outgoing seniors like Daquan Isom, Mike Macon, Rudy Norwood and slew of others who will be playing college football this fall have been replaced to an extent that most programs could only dream of.

“We’ve got a lot of guys that can play football,” Panthers head coach Rodney Wells said. “We’ve still got some kinks to work out, but we’ve got some young guys making a lot of plays and we’ve got a lot of speed.”

In a spring football jamboree at Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Orlando on May 22, the Panthers whooped up on the Boone Braves, 28-7, before dueling the host Hornets — known for their size on their offensive and defensive lines — to a 14-14 tie. The festivities that evening took place in front of a large crowd and a sideline packed with college assistant coaches, eager to see the top prospects from the Panthers, Hornets and Braves.

The two scrimmages, which were two quarters apiece to add up to a complete game, saw big time performances from the likes of running backs Jaquaris Bargnare, Alvin Bryant and Kenny Palmer, skill players like Emare Hogan and, of course, 6’7 offensive lineman Calvin Ashley — who is back with the program after briefly transferring to IMG Academy.

Perhaps most importantly, the young man charged with leading the Panthers’ arsenal of offensive weapons down the field, Marvin Washington, looked comfortable in his debut as the team’s starter following Rudy Norwood’s graduation.

“The team, they came and they trusted me … my confidence level is so high,” Washington said.

Washington acknowledged afterward that his main duty is to get the ball in the hands of his skill players and let them do the rest. Though there were some mistakes, the rising junior — part of a class of 2017 that everyone associated with the program is continually raving about — led Dr. Phillips on several successful scoring drives in the spring contest and, afterward, Wells told his team they had barely scratched the surface of their potential.

“If we can play that fast, and play at that tempo, and have Marvin control the offense like he controlled … we’re going to be really, really good,” Wells said.