The renovations to Largo High's football stadium are nearly complete. There is a new locker room. Sod also is being installed on the practice field and at the stadium.

The work is part of a complete campus makeover that took nearly three years to complete.

Packers coach Marcus Pascal is confident the reclamation project of the school's football program will take considerably less time.

Last season was a hardship for the players and coaches. They had to drudge equipment for practice while the locker room was being rebuilt. Pascal was teaching at a middle school and there not a coach on campus full-time during school hours.

The results showed. Largo finished 3-6, the first losing record at the school since 1999. In five of those losses, the Packers were leading at halftime.

"It was chaos last year," Paschal said. "Not having coaches constantly around during school hours was a big reason we weren't able to hold on to leads and stay consistent throughout games."

Paschal again is teaching at Largo. The coaching staff also has some continuity.

The players also were able to take solace from last season's struggles in knowing they had a future together. Defensive lineman Bobby Roundtree (Illinois) and receiver Julian Cooney (Garden City Community College) are the only significant starters the Packers lose.

Everyone is back on the offensive line, a unit that averages 265 pounds per starter. That line also will be bolstered by the guidance of former Largo coach Rick Rodriguez, who agreed to return as an assistant this season.

There are elite prospects at other positions, too.

Defensive back/receiver Calvin Lockett, a rising senior, is a three-star recruit who has offers from Oregon, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin, among others. Fellow receiver Jaquan Hiers led the team in catches (18), receiving yards (435) and receiving touchdowns (five) last season. Hiers also led the team with 485 yards rushing. Jayion McCluster, a rising sophomore, is poised for a breakout season. The cousin of former Largo standout Dexter McCluster has nine offers, including ones from Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, USF and Oregon.

The defense has just as many prospects.

Lineman Jaquaze Sorrells, a rising junior, is a four-star lineman who has already committed to Florida. Linebacker Logan Doublin is a rising senior who was a first-team, all-county selection last season. He has four offers, the latest ones coming from Marshall and Ohio.

"I feel like we have guys who are among the top prospects in the area in their class for the next three years," Paschal said. "These are guys that I've worked with throughout their careers."

The talent is there, the coaching staff is in place.

The only thing missing is a sense of unity.

"We know in order to really turn things around we have to be less selfish and play more as a team," Lockett said. "We have a couple of new guys that are learning how to do things, but overall I feel like the team is going to be a lot better."

Spring football

Saturday

Dixie Hollins at Bradenton Saint Stephen's, 7 p.m.

Tuesday

Nature Coast at Palm Harbor University, 7 p.m.

Wednesday

Clearwater at Clearwater Central Catholic, 7 p.m.

St. Petersburg Catholic at Farragut (controlled scrimmage), 7 p.m.

Thursday

Largo at Pinellas Park, 7 p.m.

Northeast at Palmetto, 7 p.m.

Zephyrhills Christian at

Boca Ciega, 7 p.m.

May 19

Shorecrest at Bayshore Christian, 7 p.m.

Countryside at Tarpon Springs, 7 p.m.

Lakewood at Braden River, 7 p.m.

Dunedin at Bayshore, 7:30 p.m.

Osceola at Seminole, 7:30 p.m.

East Lake at River Ridge, 7:30 p.m.

Calvary Christian vs.

Cambridge Christian

at Skyway Park, 7:30 p.m.

Gibbs at Jesuit, 7 p.m.

Naples at St. Petersburg, 7 p.m.

Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic at Keswick Christian, 7 p.m.

Chaos gives way to better chemistry at Largo 05/10/17 [Last modified: Wednesday, May 10, 2017 5:24pm] Photo reprints | Article reprints

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Chaos gives way to better chemistry at Largo - Tampabay.com