‘Fire and Ice’ tandem leading new era of Gulfport football in year two under new coach

It would take anyone a fair amount of effort and time to uncover the last instance any team knifed through a Picayune defense with 400-plus rushing yards.

For Gulfport and its dynamic backfield tandem, doing just that during a 41-21 road romp through the Maroon Tide last week was another step in the remaking and re-identifying of Gulfport football under second-year head coach Blake Pennock.

Junior Cooper Crosby and senior Dakoreyon Payton combined for 416 rushing yards and nearly 500 all-purpose yards in a win that was both defining and vindicating.

“It was the best win I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here,” Crosby told the Sun Herald.

The outcome comes one season after Gulfport blew a 21-0 lead at home to the eventual 6A South State runner-ups and served as a message sent regarding the tides the Admirals are turning to their favor.

“We can run with the big dogs,” Crosby said. “We’re here and we’re not done yet.”

The game was leg two of a three-game gauntlet featuring some of the state’s biggest powers. Gulfport was within one score of Madison Central during the fourth quarter of a 31-21 week three loss and will test itself Friday against a powerful Brandon squad that hung 60 on Picayune to open the season.

It’s a challenge Pennock’s team readily accepts. The former Ocean Springs coach told the Sun Herald the 2023 season was a “year zero” with so many seniors in the starting lineup. Pennock feels his second edition — despite the lack of returning production — better fits the mold of what he envisions for the program.

“It’s a good identity,” Pennock said. “We’re tough. We’re hard-nosed. We handle adversity a little better than some. I really like (the player’s) commitment to each other. It’s been really good so far.”

A better-knit group of teammates is a common theme on the sweltering turf of Gulfport High School’s practice field.

Players feel like the staff has implemented a more unified approach that has encouraged chemistry improvements and team goal commonality among the athletes in the Orange and Blue.

Crosby and Payton are both in their third year garnering varsity snaps and have seen the program evolve from within, beginning with John Archie’s final season as head coach in 2022.

“The standard has raised a lot,” Crosby said. “Before Coach Pennock got here, it was really a team full of me guys. But now we’re one. We all play for each other and we all put in the work together. The standard of play has really changed.”

“I feel like the program has evolved discipline and execution wise,” Payton added. “We’re getting better, overall, as a disciplined team. That’s what we were lacking the last few years.”

Talented backfield mates

Crosby and Payton offer Pennock and his offense a blend of talents that are hard to keep off the field. It’s the reason for Payton’s expanded role during his senior season.

To go along with his 238 rushing yards through four games, Payton has also caught 12 passes for 177 yards lining up in the slot. This allows Pennock to have both of his running backs on the field at the same time and use Payton lateraly both pre and post-snap.

“(Payton) is great off the ball, he’s super versatile,” Pennock said. “He can catch the ball out of the backfield, run between the tackles. He’s a really strong kid with great speed... He’s really accepted the role of being that slot guy, bring him into the backfield and doing as many things as we can with him just to get him the ball in space. We put a lot on him, mentally, and he handles it really well.”

Crosby gives the Admiral ground attack its downhill element. He’s 40 lbs. heavier than his counterpart and uses that size to pinball between the tackles.

He’s averaging 11 yards a pop and has already set career highs in yards and touchdowns in fewer carries than he had a year ago.

“(Crosby) is what a Power Five running back is supposed to look like,” Pennock said. “He’s really come into his own this year, worked hard this off season to be a complete back, rather than just a guy that could carry the ball. It’s starting to show up because he’s been a bell cow for us all season.”

Together they create a difficult to solve problem for opposing defenses, who also have to deal with a mobile quarterback in Dane Sullivan and two-way athlete Tre’von Deans.

Pennock is able to utilize the pair to keep linebackers honest in the box while opening up running lanes on the perimeter. The two play their roles well having shared backfield space together for three years.

“We’re just like fire and ice,” Crosby said. “We’re just a great duo. (Payton) is great in space. Once he gets it to him in space, he’s going to take it far. We both work really well together.”

Their presence off the field has been just as notable. The two are on the forefront of the program’s internal attitude shift. Particularly Crosby, who is on the team’s leadership counsel.

That is evident in how the two break down their monsterous rushing output against Picayune.

“Our receivers really didn’t the ball last Friday, but they were very helpful in the blocking game,” Payton said. “We’re thankful for them.”

The visiting Bulldogs will put an end to a three-game stretch of road games and give Gulfport a bye on the other side. Then starts the part the part that counts.

The Admirals are in search of their first district title since 2019 and have come one game short of the Greyhounds in each of the last two seasons — in part because of Pennock himself.

But Gulfport is after more than just the monster its own leader created.

“We’re trying to have a 14-game season,” Payton said.

“We’re trying to hold that Gold Ball at the end of the year,” Crosby agreed.