Luke Knight spent last season as the quarterbacking understudy to Joe Pesansky.
Life in the shadows vanished for Knight this past week when Jesuit became one of the first teams in the state to start spring practices.
Knight has put away the clipboard to take his turn under center. The new role comes with added responsibilities — and pressure.
After all, Knight is replacing Pesansky, the Class 5A state player of the year who set nearly every single-season passing record en route to leading the Tigers to their third straight state semifinal appearance.
It would be tough enough taking over for a star. But Knight’s job description includes being the caretaker of a program poised to make a push for a state title.
That optimism stems from the experience in the lineup. Jesuit returns 18 starters from a team that went 14-1 and lost on a last-second field goal to eventual Class 5A champion Plantation American Heritage.
Still, Knight is not stressing about the situation.
“There definitely is some pressure, but I don’t view it as pressure,” Knight said. “I see it more as an opportunity, and the role being passed to me. My receivers returning are the best in the area, making my job easier.”
The Tigers top receivers all are back, including Junior Vandeross (981 yards, 12 touchdowns last season), Jaydn Girard (671 yards, 11 touchdowns) and Carter French (650 yards, seven touchdowns). Also returning are leading rusher Joquez Smith (1,226 yards) and four of the five starting offensive linemen.
They are all getting used to Knight — and a new offensive coordinator.
Former Clearwater coach Don Mesick took over play calling duties from Joe Gerena, who stepped away as an assistant to spend more time with his family.
“The new offense has been going well,” Knight said. “The team has quickly picked it up. We continue to work hard on it. I really like the things we are doing with the offense and the diversity of plays it offers.”
The task of learning a new offense has not been overwhelming, in part because of the one-year apprenticeship Knight had studying behind Pesansky.
“I learned more as a freshman than I have in a long time,” Knight said. “Taking the year to learn from Joe and play behind him was the best thing that could have happened. The leadership, football knowledge and some of the skills were great things I gained from him. I still talk to him most days and will definitely keep in touch in the future.”
Knight did see some playing time as a freshman, mostly in mop up duty. He played well, completing 19 of his 29 passes for 209 yards and scored six touchdowns (four rushing, two passing).
Now, the Knight is going to take every snap. He does so as a starting quarterback, not as a Pesansky replica.
“We’re not asking Luke to throw the ball 60 yards down the field like we did with Joe,” Jesuit coach Matt Thompson said. “There are going to be some limitations. But Luke is a smart kid. His football IQ is off the charts. And he had the advantage of learning how to act and what it takes to be a leader being behind Joe.
“Joe was never about stats. He was just about winning games. It will be the same way with Luke. But he knows he doesn’t have to feel the pressure of having everything on him. There’s enough talent around him where he doesn’t have to do it all on his own.”
For the Tigers, spring practice started on April 22. They got a head start because final exams forced them to play their spring game on May 15, weeks ahead of everyone else.
That is fine for Knight and his teammates, who could not wait to take the field, especially after coming up short in the state semifinals last year.
“I would say we are more motivated than ever,” Knight said. “No one is hesitating to get extra work in, whether it’s throwing, blocking, running track, or going through consistent 6 a.m. workouts. Having most of our team return is a huge deal, knowing that we can handle and beat the teams down south.
“This is our year to prove it.”
The new wave of quarterbacks
Jesuit is not the only high-profile program entering the spring with a new signal caller. Others are figuring out who will fill the shoulder pads of passers who led their teams deep in the playoffs, often setting plenty of school records along the way. Fortunately, there are a surplus of candidates ready to take on those roles. Here are a few.
Armwood
| Last year’s starter | This year’s frontrunner(s) |
| Cam’Ron Ransom | Murdolph Jones, Jr. |
Ransom, a Georgia State signee, was a three-year starter who threw for more than 5,000 yards and 60 touchdowns in his career while leading Armwood to a state title game and state semifinal appearance. Jones, who served as the backup last season, has the build of a prototypical passer (6-foot-4, 215 pounds). Last season, he threw 113 yards and a touchdown in limited action.
Berkeley Prep
| Last year’s starter | This year’s frontrunner(s) |
| Gavin Rupp | Troy Reader, Jr. |
Rupp, who decided to walk-on at Rutgers, was a highly efficient — and successful — quarterback who led the Buccaneers to the state semifinals last season. Reader, who has already committed to play baseball at Notre Dame, spent the past two seasons as Rupp’s backup and joins an already a talented backfield.
Bloomingdale
| Last year’s starter | This year’s frontrunner(s) |
| Tre Simmons | Sean Dungan, Sr.; Jackson Jensen, So. |
Simmons, a dynamic playmaker who is headed to Tusculum, threw for 2,651 yards and accounted for 35 touchdowns (27 passing, eight rushing) while leading the Bulls to the state semifinals last season. Dungan is coming off a knee injury so Jensen will get most of the snaps this spring.
Gaither
| Last year’s starter | This year’s frontrunner(s) |
| Kiael Kelly | Brooks Bentley, Jr. |
Kelly, a Ball State signee, accounted for 24 touchdowns (16 passing, eight rushing) a dual-threat and led the Cowboys to an undefeated regular season and a region final appearance. Bentley is the son of USF assistant coach Bobby Bentley, who came from South Carolina to join the Bulls’ staff. The younger Bentley is ranked among the nation’s top quarterbacks in the 2023 class and already has an offer from Eastern Kentucky.
Mitchell
| Last year’s starter | This year’s frontrunner(s) |
| Ezra Brennan | Chris Ferrini, Jr.; Ethan Rice, Sr. |
Brennan, a first-team, all-state selection, threw for more than 4,500 and had a combined 67 touchdown passes the past two seasons while leading the Mustangs to their first-ever state semifinal appearance last season. Ferrini and Rice will spend the spring battling for the top spot. Mustangs coach Andrew Schmitz said he has no idea if a starter will emerge once spring ends. “We’re not going to rush it,” Schmitz said.
Plant City
| Last year’s starter | This year’s frontrunner(s) |
| Nick Felice | Clint Danzey, Jr.; Carson Mohler, Sr. |
Felice, a Delta State signee, threw for 1,871 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Danzey and Mohler will split snaps this spring in a battle that will not be decided anytime soon.
Tampa Bay Tech
| Last year’s starter | This year’s frontrunner(s) |
| David Wright | Charles Coney, Jr.; Jaden Rosebury, So.; Xavione Washington, Jr. |
Wright, an Allen University signee, was a first-team, all-state selection after throwing for 3,078 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior. He also totaled 6,602 passing yards and 67 touchdowns through the air in his career. The competition to replace him is a three-way battle. Coney was last year’s backup. Rosebury threw for 16 touchdowns as the junior starter. And Washington, a dual-threat specialist, transferred from Tampa Catholic.
