Wesley Chapel (FL) not looking for a rebuild on Egan’s watch

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL – Getting above the .500 mark for Wesley Chapel football head coach Anthony Egan in 2021 was a feat for the Wildcats. Heading into Year No. 7

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL – Getting above the .500 mark for Wesley Chapel football head coach Anthony Egan in 2021 was a feat for the Wildcats.

Heading into Year No. 7 for Egan and his staff, this might be the toughest challenge yet for the Wildcats. Though the team has seen it’s fair share of players graduate or transfer out of the program, there’s no taking steps backwards for Wesley Chapel. Only steps forward for a Wildcats’ program that went ahead and qualified for the Class 5A playoffs, before falling to Sebring in the region quarterfinals.

A 41-0 loss to the Blue Streaks, who ended up being a state semifinalist, wasn’t as bad as it all seemed to be but now Egan faces an uphill battle of replacing a ton of athletes from last season’s club. The Wildcats lost leading rusher Jaylan Blake, who rushed for 1,066 yards and 13 touchdowns, along with starting quarterback Ethan Harper.

Throw in the fact that Jorden McCalsin has signed with Florida State and Nehemiah Morgan has signed with Keiser University, and Wesley Chapel seems to be in a full rebuild mode under Egan. Not so fast, though, as the former River Ridge offensive line coach isn’t aiming to go below the .500 mark. His group did lose its spring game versus Land O’ Lakes 21-0, but the Wildcats have some returners everyone should watch out for.

Senior linebacker Joshua Poleon, who notched 94 tackles for Wesley Chapel last season, is back. The Wildcats also bring back wide receiver Payton Cox, who has been making big gains via the weight room over the off-season. Offensive/defensive lineman Brady Barowski will be a sophomore to watch for for Wesley Chapel. A run-first approach and playing tough defense will be the philosophy Egan plays behind, with the Wildcats always being a hard nose, in the trenches kind of team.

The Wildcats will play in a new district in the metro-suburban state series, as Wesley Chapel now joins the likes of Zephyrhills, Pasco and Cypress Creek in Class 3-Suburban, District 7. Wesley Chapel will have a chance to make some noise within the district, but it will be an uphill climb because of a series of transfers that have headed elsewhere this off-season. Egan has persevered through what has been a tough off-season, but the Wildcats aim to stay in contention regardless of who’s in the building.

Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.