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With new defensive coordinator, Armwood faces state title game

 
Darrell Palmer was the Hawks’ secondary coach for seven seasons before taking over as defensive coordinator this year.
Darrell Palmer was the Hawks’ secondary coach for seven seasons before taking over as defensive coordinator this year.
Published Dec. 11, 2013

SEFFNER — It was hard to predict just how the perennially vaunted Armwood defense would perform heading into this season.

The Hawks graduated seven starters, including superstar safety Leon McQuay III (USC). And maybe even more important, longtime defensive coordinator Matt Thompson left to take the head coaching job at Jesuit.

"There were some big changes certainly," first-year defensive coordinator Darrell Palmer said. "I'm sure there were some questions."

Answer: The Hawks didn't miss a beat.

Armwood's defense will be on full display Saturday when the Hawks vie for their third state championship against Miami Central in the 6A title game in Orlando.

"The transition (to defensive coordinator) wasn't hard," Palmer said. "But it was a big change."

Palmer was the Hawks' secondary coach for seven seasons before taking over the coordinator role this year. It's a long way from junior high school football, which Palmer coached from 1983 to 1995 at Webb Middle School.

In his prep days Palmer, 52, starred at Leto (1979) before moving on to Carthage College in Wisconsin. Palmer was coached in high school by Vernon Korhn, who went on to serve as Hillsborough County's director of athletics from 2000-06.

"(Korhn) would have me help him out at Leto during January of my freshman and sophomore year (at Carthage)," Palmer said. "It was pretty cold up there then and we had the whole month off for winter break, so I was pretty happy about that."

Korhn also proved instrumental in Armwood coach Sean Callahan plucking Palmer from the ranks of youth coaching in 2006.

"I asked Vernon if he knew anyone who was a good-character guy," Callahan said. "I wasn't as concerned about football because I thought that was something that we as a staff could teach. But I wanted a character-first guy, and Darrell is that."

Callahan said he wasn't concerned about Palmer sliding into the defensive coordinator role.

"When we found out Matt was taking the job (at Jesuit), it became just like football: You have to get the next man ready," Callahan said. "Darrell made the decision pretty easy."

Although the move wasn't what Palmer would categorize as "difficult," it certainly became more time consuming.

"When I was secondary coach I could just look at the receivers and their tendencies on routes," he said. "And I only had eight or so guys to work with. Now I have 35 guys to work with."

Palmer's film workload also exponentially increased.

"Now you're talking about a day-to-day grind with watching tape and preparing power points with scouting reports for the kids," he said. "You're constantly watching film to see if there is anything I've missed. Your nights and weekends are pretty much gone."

Although this is Palmer's first coordinator job at the high school level, he has received a helping hand from his former boss.

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"If I ever had any questions throughout the year, I could always call Coach Thompson," Palmer said. "Whether it was something about a formation or whatever, he's been there for me. Even during the playoffs, he was there to talk with me."

Palmer also didn't try to blow up Thompson's schemes, choosing to keep Armwood's traditional 3-4 base intact.

"We've had so much success, there was no reason to change things up too much," Palmer said. "All I did was add a few wrinkles of my own."

Thompson, who was on the sideline for last Friday's dramatic triple overtime win against Bartram Trail of St. Johns and will be there again against Miami Central, said Palmer has taken the ball and run with it.

"I'll answer questions he has, but it's been all Darrell," he said. "He's a great guy who I consider one of my best friends. I'm happy for the success he's had, and he's doing a great job."

One thing that differs from the Thompson years is the number of big names on this year's defense.

"This year we really don't have any superstars," Palmer said. "There's no Torrey Davis or Ryne Giddins or Alton Bailey. (Theodore) 'Man-Man' Jackson could destroy an offensive line by himself."

But Palmer said the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

"This is a collection of very good players who all know their role," he said. "It's a credit to how they play together."

The results have been impressive. Armwood has five shutouts and allowed the opposition into double digits only three times. But Saturday will be their stiffest test of the year against a Miami Central team loaded with Division 1 talent.

"(Miami Central) doesn't run a whole lot of motion and sets. They just line up and run the ball and say 'Hey, we're better than you,' " Palmer said. "But that plays into our strengths because we can just stay in base defense. So I like our chances."

Brandon Wright can be reached at hillsnews@tampabay.com.