St. Martin eyeing a new future with youth and athleticism
A new era at St. Martin is well under way under the guidance of a new leader.
Former Ocean Springs assistant Ty Smith, who served as offensive coordinator last year for the Yellow Jackets under Eddie Whitehead, is leading a new-look SMHS squad through summer workouts and building the foundation for a different future.
St. Martin hasn’t been to the playoffs with a winning record since 2018, has never won a district title and hasn’t won 10 games in a season since 1965.
Smith and a brand new staff hope to finally turn around the fortunes of the program. They’re working from the ground-up to do so, starting with depth and bodies on the sideline.
“Our main focus was the discipline of the kids and obviously growing to be a 6A football program,” Smith told the Sun Herald. “We went from last year having roughly 50 kids on the varsity football team to, just in the spring, having about 80. Right now, we’re sitting about 75 to 80 kids out here. They have bought in one million percent to the coaching staff, the leaders.”
The roster is much deeper than before, but it was a young team in 2021 and it’s still battling its own youth this time around.
Only a handful of seniors will be seen roaming the field on Friday nights as Smith and company work to build experience in year one.
“We’re still a young football team, we’re going to have a lot of underclassmen we’re relying on this season,” Smith said. “It’s a good feeling, but it does make you a little nervous. You know we’re going to take some punches in the face, but with everything they have done in the summer, I think they’re going to be ready to answer.”
A new quarterback
One of the few seniors the Yellow Jackets will have is a new face in the program and could be a short-term game-changer for SMHS.
When Smith hired his defensive coordinator in Derrick Jenkins, with him came his son, former Mendenhall quarterback DK Jenkins.
The younger Jenkins has thrown for just over 3,800 yards over the last three seasons with 41 career passing touchdowns to his name.
It’s not just his arm that gives SMHS a major boost, though, it’s what he can do with his legs. Jenkins ran for over 800 yards last season and scored on the ground eight times. He also intercepted two passes on defense and forced a fumble.
Smith even believes Jenkins could be one of the best wide outs on the Coast if he were to play that position, which speaks to the versatility Jenkins has shown in his career.
“We came to change the program,” Jenkins said. “Coach (Ty) Smith brought me and Coach (Derrick) Jenkins in to change it around and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Smith admits most teams wouldn’t dare play their quarterback on both sides of the field, but Jenkins’ athleticism and the chance to pair him with star wide out and defensive back Noreel White on both offense and defense is too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Jenkins’ ability to play corner gives the Yellow Jackets a strong core on defense that can put SMHS in position to greatly improve on its two-win season a year ago.
More than his just an athlete in the system, though, Jenkins has also provided instant leadership to a young team.
“The other 80 kids on this football team, they’ve seen what kind of leader he is in a very short amount of time,” Smith said. “He is one of our top leaders. The kids on the team look up to him.”
Deeper on defense
In the middle, junior linebacker Gavin Allen returns as one of several starters that were battled-hardened at a young age.
Allen had 91 tackles as a sophomore last year and was one of the few bright spots in a defense that allowed 357 points, a five-year high for the program.
With another year of experience and added help behind him, Allen and his front seven have some room to focus on themselves.
“It makes it easier, my job is a lot easier not having to worry about what they’re doing,” Allen said. “We got some big guys. Expect a lot of changes this year, we’ve got some big things coming toward us.”
St. Martin lost five of its top seven tacklers from 2021, but the return of Allen, a new defensive coordinator and added depth is giving the defense a more confident outlook.
“We’re looking at being more of a 4-3, 4-2 (defense),” Allen said. “Big, strong group. That’s going to be our biggest change, guys who want to be out there. Guys who want to dominate and destroy everything in their path.”
Taking advantage of talent
Offensively, the combination of Jenkins and White gives the Yellow Jackets an advantage it didn’t have before.
White is a 4-star athlete on 247sports.com and one of the top football prospects in Mississippi. White led the team with 54 receptions last season for 676 yards while also picking off a couple passes on defense.
It’ll be Smith’s job to get the most out of the Jenkins-White combo in their lone season together.
“You always want one of your best athletes at quarterback, obviously, and DK fills that void,” Smith said. “Noreel, I even think we’re going to get him snaps back there some. We’re going to move them all over the field. Running back, quarterback, wide receiver, they’re going to play defense, as well. They’re too good of athletes to just be playing one side of the ball.”
Smith is especially high on Jenkins’ ability to play the corner position.
“He’s labeled as a quarterback, but I think he’s the top defensive back in that state of Mississippi,” Smith said. “If there’s anybody better, I’d like to see him, because he’s that guy.”
Smith, Jenkins, Allen and White get to put their new identities on display Aug. 19 against Long Beach in a week zero jamboree at home against Long Beach and fellow first-year head coach Jacob Massey.
