The Eastside football program has won back-to-back district titles under Harold “Gator” Hoskins, who enters his third season as head coach of the Rams.

In his two seasons, the Rams have won a total of 16 games.

They ended up 8-3 in Hoskins’ first season in 2022, which was the Rams’ first winning season since 2018.

They also won their first district title in 10 years that year, and they won a postseason game.

They were 8-4 in 2023, won their second straight league title, and beat Palatka, 28-27, in the first round of the Class 2S state playoffs.

The Rams had no one sign to play college football in 2022-23, but a total of 11 seniors signed to play at the next level in 2024.

That trust and winning have been restored for Eastside football.

“We had a pretty good season, made it to the playoffs, but we didn’t get to our ultimate goal of winning a state championship,” Hoskins said. “Pretty sure that’s every high school coach and team’s dream to make it and win state, but last year was last year. It’s a whole new team. We’ve got a lot of young boys, so we’re getting ready for this season.”

This season took an unexpected turn in late July when quarterback Adrian Curtis announced he was transferring to Hawthorne.

After transferring from P.K. Yonge, Curtis threw for 1,825 yards with 21 touchdowns and four rushing scores in 2023. As a junior, he led a Rams’ offense that averaged 26.25 points per game.

Last September, he threw five touchdowns in an early season 35-0 win at Keystone Heights.

With Curtis gone, there will be a battle for the QB position and a player to watch is rising freshman Andrew “Kade” Sutherland (6’0).

“Oh, I mean, there’s always a battle,” Hoskins said. “The best guy is going to play. We’ve got a young freshman coming in, Kade. He’s going to be a superstar. You guys remember the name. He’s smart. He can throw the ball. He’s just going to continue to work and get better. He has a bright future.”

Whoever is throwing the pigskin will be looking for wide receiver Daijon “Honey Mustard” Johnson, who led the team as a junior with 372 yards receiving and also hauled in a pair of touchdowns.

“He’s a great player, great kid, great person,” Hoskins said. “I love the things that he does on and off the field. He’s a leader. The guys follow behind him and they love him, they trust him, and he shows up and makes great plays for us when we need them.”

The 5’7, 162-pound receiver, who will also play running back and quarterback, knows how to get open.

“I let Kade know when in doubt find that guy (Johnson),” Hoskins said. “I’m pretty sure he’s going to be open, he’s 7/11, so just to have a weapon like that, a guy, especially for a young quarterback, who he can rely and depend on and know this guy is going to get open. He can find him and he can get him the ball, and it doesn’t have to be a long throw you know, two, three yards and he can make some guys miss and do something special with it and take it to the house.”

Despite the loss of leading rusher Joshua Benjamin (506 yards, 8 TDs) to graduation, second-leading rusher Corvin Byrd is back for his senior season.

“He’s a dog,” Hoskins said. “He loves contact. He’s one of those guys that once he gets started, it’s hard to bring him down. In the spring game, I can’t remember how many carries he had, but I know he had three touchdowns in the first half. He’s a special kid, great running back.”

Byrd (5’7, 185), who had 301 yards rushing and four touchdowns in 2023, said the experience of playing in the backfield last year was a big factor in his development.

“It helped me a lot,” he said. “It helped me really see how football works, going from a little kid to big boy football. It helped me.”

Senior center Jaquez Whitehead, who has the most experience up front, will anchor the offensive line.

Defensively, the Rams should be in great shape once again.

After giving up 13.7 ppg in Hoskins’s first season, Eastside allowed 14.25 ppg in 2023 and posted a total of six shutouts.

“The defense is going to be great,” Hoskins said. “The defense is going to lead this team this year. We have three junior linebackers (juniors Demarco Daniels, Tramayne Montague and Kamariyon Mack) that I believe are going to be the best linebackers in the city. We have the best corner/safety in the city in Victor White. He’s an amazing kid. He had a great year last year and I expect him to do great things this year.”

White had three interceptions, a couple of fumble recoveries and eight passes defended last year as a junior.

“We all have to play together as one,” said White, who had two interceptions and nine tackles last year against Buchholz. “Stay as a team, the brotherhood that we are. We took some losses, some people leaving that broke us up a little bit but now we’re banded back together, so I feel like this year we’re going to have a good year.”

The rising senior will use his athleticism to play all over the field, including wide receiver.

“He’s a playmaker,” Hoskins said. “He’s all over the field. He’s a ball hawk. He’s one of those kids man, he didn’t play football until last year in high school, but he’s one of those kids if you throw him out on the field and you ask him to do something, he’s going to get it done for you. He’s a playmaker.”

Daniels (6’1, 205), who Hoskins said will be playing somewhere on Saturdays, finished third on the team last year with 47 tackles.

“We’ve got the most versatile defense in the city,” Daniels said. “I feel like our defense brings the energy and the intensity that we need. I feel like we’re going to be even better.”

It will be a challenging schedule, including new district opponents South Sumter (Bushnell) and Dunnellon, traditional rivals GHS and Buchholz, and home games against Class 1S state runner-up Trinity Catholic (Ocala), 1R regional finalist Williston, and 7A Sandalwood (Jacksonville).

Eastside, which moves into 3A-District 5, plays its first three games on the road (Tampa Carrollwood Day, Belleview, and Tallahassee Rickards), followed by the home opener against Buchholz at Citizens Field on Friday, Sept. 6.