Consistency is the name of the game for the Ponte Vedra offense this season.
The Sharks proved last year that they have dynamic players on that side of the ball, by making big plays and moving the ball at certain points, however the goal in 2022 is to make that the norm.
A large part of that will be staying healthy, especially at the quarterback position, where Nate Bunkosky was thrust into duty last season and did an effective job leading the team down the stretch.
However, heading into this year Ben Burk has established himself as the starting quarterback after an excellent spring.
“He’s good all around, he can run it really well and throw it really well and he’s got the respect of the team,” Ponte Vedra head coach Steve Price said.
Not helping the matter was that a new coaching staff came in last year and it took some time for relationships to build and for an offensive identity to develop.
“It takes a long time, because there’s just so many details in football,” Price said.
Helping Burk out is a talented group of wide receivers that will be led by seniors Wyatt Rogers, Andrew Cotto and Bunksoky, who will be playing on defense at safety as well.
“We’re probably one of the more veteran units on the team,” Rogers said.
Adding depth to the receiving corps will be sophomore tight end Landon Okla, who has impressed and looks to have an increased role as an underclassman.
If Okla can continue to develop and come into his own, his mixture of size and speed will present a matchup problem that opposing defenses will have to account for.
Another factor that the Sharks had to deal with last year was the amount of youth they had on the offensive side of the ball.
But through spring and fall practice, that youth seem to have grown up and the playing time they gained a year ago seems to be paying dividends.
“We’re feeling fast and efficient out there for sure,” Rogers said. “We’re bringing a lot of returning players and experience to our offense this year, and it feels good.”
He made some highlight reel catches last season and showed that he has reliable pair of hands, but he understands that there is more to master to be an overall receiver.
“Blocking has been a big thing for me, because you always want to be more physical as a receiver, and I feel like it gets overlooked,” Rogers said.
Improving his blocking could mean good things for the Sharks’ rushing attack, especially when it comes to breaking long runs that get into the secondary.
Rogers has felt different with it being his senior season, not only in the way the younger guys look at him, but also about how he feels about his overall game.
“It’s a confidence booster for sure, but at the same time it puts a welcome stress on you, because you’ve been waiting for this moment to come,” Rogers said.
The Sharks offensive line will be saddled with making sure Burk has a clean pocket to operate in, and junior offensive tackle Jake Guarnera is one of the key cogs on the line.
“I think we’re going to turn some heads this year,” Guarnera said.
During the offseason he has worked a lot on his run blocking to compliment his pass protection skills.
“I’ve worked on more of my run blocking, because I feel like I’m pretty solid when it comes to pass pro,” Guarnera said.
He went to several camps and college visits during the summer as his recruiting process has really heated up since the end of last season. He gained eight offers alone during the months of June and July.
“This year, I did like 11 camps, which is a lot, but it was worth it, and it was a great experience,” Guarnera said. “It’s pretty crazy to think that I’m going to have the chance to play high level college football.”
The offensive line will have five upperclassmen starting, signifying the veteran presence the group will bring to the table this year.
“At the end of the day, we just want to show people that this isn’t the same Ponte Vedra that they thought we were,” Bunkosky said. “We’re ready to make a statement from game one.”
