A year ago, the Mandarin Mustangs were one win away from the Florida high school football final four.
Instead, their season ended in the third round of the playoffs with a one-touchdown loss to Gainesville Buchholz, a 27-20 finish that players and coaches say still hasn’t left them.
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“We felt confident, honestly,” defensive tackle Kindrid Outland said, remembering the mindset going into that game. “We thought we had them stopped… But you know, we lost.”
That ending is now a reference point — and a motivator — as Mandarin starts a new season on the practice field.
Head coach Toby Bullock said the program brings up the Buchholz loss often, but he’s careful about what it means for this year’s roster.
“This team’s 0-0,” Bullock said. “They’ve never won a game together. They never lost a game together.”
Still, the standard at Mandarin is clear. They said they don’t want to let a season come down to the same small mistakes.
Center Barrett Poulos said the focus this offseason has been on the work it takes to make the difference in tight games.
“This whole offseason, we’ve been focused completely on loving the work,” Poulos said.
‘Plus 2′
At practice, there’s another phrase that shows up in drills, in the weight room, and in the way players talk to each other: “Plus 2.”
Players describe “Plus 2” as a push to go beyond the minimum, not just in football, but in life.
“Plus two is a life mindset… It’s doing more,” Poulos said.
Outland put it this way: “You go a little bit extra, do a little bit more than what you think you can do.”
Bullock said the motto is designed to be practical, something players can apply in real moments, not just repeat in a huddle. He points to examples like getting in extra reps, finishing through the line, studying more film, and handling the details when no one is watching.
“I wanted that… that statement that is uniquely ours… and screams what me and my coaches believe in,” he said.
The goal — and the question
Mandarin’s goals are straightforward.
“A championship,” Outland said.
When asked if he’s seen the “Plus 2″ standard to the level needed to win a championship:
“Not yet,” Bullock said. “We won’t know until we get there Friday night.”
What’s next in the News4JAX series
News4JAX presents “Plus 2.” Our team will follow Mandarin at practice each week as the Mustangs move through the season. You can tune in each Thursday throughout the season.