GALLERY: Ocoee shows sign of improvement in 14-7 spring game loss to University

OCOEE — With 1:06 to play in their spring football game May 21, the Ocoee Knights’ defense got a stop on fourth down to give the offense back the ball, down 14-7.

The Knights drove from the 15-yard line to near midfield before time ran out, and the loss to the visiting University Cougars went final.

Despite the disappointing finish, new head coach Ben Bullock praised his players for a strong effort against a team that has been in the playoffs twice in the past three years — a stretch over which the Cougars have won 14 more games than Ocoee.

“The kids competed hard, the coaches competed hard — I’m very proud of the effort,” Bullock said. “We’ve got a lot of things to clean up and improve over the summer, but overall, that’s what I wanted to see.”

Outside of two big plays to surrender the Cougars’ touchdowns, the Knights’ defense looked disciplined and tough. They notched multiple important stops, including two late in the fourth quarter that gave the offense an opportunity to tie the contest.

Despite scoring just one touchdown — a red-zone strike from Steven Hogan to Jarquavious Graham — the offense from Ocoee showed some fluidity on a number of drives it simply could not finish.

“I thought our offense did great between the 20s, but we got in the red zone and couldn’t finish,” Bullock said. “That’s promising — we’ll go back and work on our red zone. … We moved the ball well, but you’ve got to score when you’re in the red zone.”

The two varsity squads played the second, third and fourth quarters, with junior varsity players getting the reps in the first quarter (the Cougars won the JV quarter, 7-0, before the score was reset at the onset of the second quarter).

With only so many practices to implement a new offense and defense, not to mention a new culture, the showing was encouraging for the Knights, and Bullock said his staff and players would benefit greatly once they had an opportunity to review game film. 

On the sidelines, Ocoee’s bench and gatherings of reserve players had a disciplined feel that translated to the field, also, where the Knights did not get in much trouble with penalties. Bullock also felt good about the Knights’ speed.

“Our speed matched up,” Bullock said. “We still need to get a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger at the line — our coaches are doing a good job trying to develop our offensive and defensive line. 

“Really, overall, everybody is going to need to develop in this program, and we are,” he said. “Little steps at a time, one step up at time, and we’ll get there.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].