St. John second-year coach Chris Martin is in a very optimistic state when describing his 2016 football team.

And with good reason.

Last year, he was hired in July and handed a list of six returning players with little time to put together a roster.

Now, this year's group is one he has had the time to construct.

“It has really just been a challenge to change the culture here at St. John,” Martin said. “I feel as if this is kind of my first season as a coach here at St. John — definitely my first full offseason.

And this team is young too. So Martin can grow as a coach as his team matures as football players.

“We are a very different looking team and we can’t wait to see if we can translate it to the field this fall,” Martin said. “These players and I are here now to try to set a foundation and we have already started to build a bond with the goal being to keep it all going in a positive direction.”

For example, the Saints will be starting a freshman, Deiontae Simpkins, at quarterback.

“He has a lot of potential,” Martin said. “I mean, you know, he’s a freshman, so it is a learning curve for him but he has all the intangibles, a good mind for football and he’s a big strong kid (6-foot, 190 pounds) with a rifle arm.”

Martin is also very high on his other young quarterback, eighth-grader Wyatt Campbell, who will start for the Saints at corner.

“Wyatt is a very good football player and will see some time under center as well,” Martin said.

Josh Pinkston returns to the Saints’ backfield after a productive year as a sophomore. The junior ran for 801 yards on 82 carries with six touchdowns for St. John last season. He will be joined by sophomore Malachi Sampson in an offense which Martin describes as “well-conditioned” and focused around the running game.

“We have an assistant coach, Carlos Burroughs, who was a linebackers coach at West Port and he is a big-time (University of) Alabama football guy who studies the way (Alabama) does their strength and conditioning,” Martin said. “We also have our training room we call the “dungeon” because it must get around 150 degrees in there, so we run the kids and then go work out in there.”

On the offensive line, Martin named a few players who have gained his confidence as the season nears. Junior tackle/nose guard R.J. Stokes and senior Lake Weir transfer Ryan Bolton (center/NG) are two upperclassmen that will be depended on to anchor things up front. Sophomore Dalton Oller and eighth-grader Mason Petenbrink also will be seeing snaps on the offensive line.

Defensively, Martin says he likes what he sees so far and this unit could be the overwhelming strength of the team as the season progresses.

Senior Cody Jeffcoat, a Forest transfer, will start at middle linebacker and along with fellow senior Elfren Texidor, the two should provide the base for a strong linebacking corps. Martin has freshmen Ian Munro and Parker Durant as his guys in the trenches on the defensive line.

“Cody didn’t get to play much over the last two seasons due to injuries and I really think this will be a breakout year for him,” Martin said.

West Port transfer Keveon Taylor will start at free safety as a junior. Martin is ecstatic about Taylor's abilities and what he can bring to the table. “Keveon is a hitter, he loves to be physical, he plays hard, he is such a gamer and is a great kid, a 3.6 (GPA) student — oh and I have him for one more year,” Martin said.

Freshman Joseph McKeller was slated to play last season as an eighth-grader but was sidelined during preseason workouts with a broken ankle. He returns at strong safety and the Saints will have Pinkston and Campbell at corner.

"Things have been going good this summer," Taylor said. "A lot of working in the dungeon, and what I see right now, of course, we are going to compete."

“Our strength, right now, is on the defensive side of the ball,” Martin said. “Our front seven is strong, we have experience at safety and corner, it is definitely a part of our football team that can carry us if we need it to.”

PREDICTION: The Saints won one game last season and none the year before. Martin is in complete control of what he wants to do with this team and the only direction they can go is up. Expect a much more competitive year with several players contributing on both sides of the ball. Schedule-wise, the Saints' last three games, all Sunshine State Athletic Conference matchups, are against teams which won a total of eight games combined last season. If the Saints' production is as high at that point as their confidence level is now, expect a few wins before season's end.