FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island football will have a vastly new look in 2023 with players stocked up around the lineup that, on paper, can bring a state playoff game possibility very possible.

With new coach Chad Parker, with region ties to Orange Park High and Final Four ties to Bartram Trail in the past decade, returns to Clay County and Fleming Island with a chance to open up the Golden Eagle offense even more than has been its recent history under third-year quarterback Cibastian Broughton.

"I think we have a good feel for what Cibastian is doing in the pocket and can respond when he moves the pocket," said senior tackle Braden Cunnigham, the lone senior returner on the front line. "We know he can break the field whenever he wants and we are going to try to escort him as far as we can."

Ironically, Fleming Island has a history with a new NFL linebacker, a now-FSU running back and a host of NCAA Division I guys spattered around the nation, but no deep region run since 2020 under coach Damenyum Springs with a region final loss to Niceville and 2017 with a region final loss to Bartram Trail.

Firepower will be at a maximum for Parker both on the field and on the sidelines.

The sidelines, returning coach Derek Chipoletti and Evan Scharf are back on the sidelines as well as Chris Otero as Parker brings back some familiar faces to jump-start the transition.

Broughton is a gamer with a fantastic freshman season, but his team didn't help him last year with a couple of key losses.

Westside, though, has been a staple preseason opener for the Golden Eagles but not usually a test of the engine for the Golden Eagles' summer rebuilds. Clay the following week brings rivalry excitement and unknowns and that may be Parker's first big test.

Parker is also in a new district that has been aptly called the District of Doom with powerhouses Bartram Trail and Buchholz at the top of the food chain, but both programs saw their iconic coaches retire.

Bartram Trail without Darrell Sutherland and Buchholz without Mark Whittemore could be two totally new approaches to power football in the district.

At Oakleaf, who upset Fleming Island year with Drew Ammon showcasing his magical ways, is the fourth new coach on the block with veteran Chris Foy now running the Knight show. Foy was a Fletcher guy in playoff times against Oakleaf in Chipoletti's, then turned a dismal Andrew Jackson team around to two district titles.

If all goes well, maybe the district of doom will land a home in Clay County.

The irony here is that Oakleaf's athletic director is now Rodney Dubose, the long-time coach at Westside, who has had a lot of good athletes, just not enough of them. Now he has a lot of good athletes at Oakleaf and a lot of them.