JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s no secret the Mandarin Mustangs are among the top tier competition in Northeast Florida. They’re the No. 1-ranked team in the Super 10 and have dominated their opponents each week of the season.
Just like any successful team, it’s a collective group effort to be the best. But someone has to be leading the charge. For head coach Toby Bullock, he has a special group of leaders. In fact, you can call them the triple threat, not only because of elite athleticism, but for the friendship bond they’ve created. You probably already know the guys: quarterback Tramell Jones, wide receiver Jaime Ffrench and safety Drake Stubbs.
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“It’s great to have someone who can hold kids accountable,” Bullock said. “Kids that people want to listen to. People want to play with. Biggest thing is they’re fun to be around. They both have a great personality. They light up a room they walk in and that’s more fun than anything.”
“I always grew up wanting to be a guy like that I am right now,” Stubbs said. “I always grew up wanting to be that guy that everyone’s looking at. That everyone’s watching so it feels great that knowing what I work for.”
“Having that leader role still, being around for a lot of guys,” Ffrench Jr. said. “Even having those guys help me lead the core so it helps a lot having those guys impact too.”
Jones is a four-star recruit committed to Florida State University. This past summer, he was selected for the prestigious Elite 11. The guy he completed passes to in the end zone throughout his four years until a season-ending leg injury in Week 2 was often is Ffrench, a five-star recruit committed to The University of Texas. Although Ffrench doesn’t line up against Stubbs often in practice, if he did, he would also be competing against a Rivals five-star recruit who is committed to the University of Miami. All top tier talent, which makes them all better.
“He gives us a better scout than anybody we ever get when we ever play because that’s the best receiver in the nation,” Stubbs said of Ffrench.
“It makes me come to my job and do better every day,” Ffrench Jr. said. “It makes me stay on my job and iron sharpens iron. Drake is a dog. He brings out the dog in me. He knows his stuff, I know my stuff so we compete a lot.”
The triple threat are the current chapter of excellent players wearing the orange and green. It’s also their final year together before they each depart for college.
“It’s bittersweet every Friday night because it flew by really quick,” Stubbs said. “It felt like I was just a freshman playing varsity. Felt like it was just my first game playing against Bolles. My first game on varsity. It’s definitely a bittersweet thing because time’s ticking.”
While their time together is dwindling, their lasting legacy as being three of the best to wear the Mandarin jersey will continue as the expectations and aspirations of the season unfolds.