Florence excited about playoffs, still a Bear

Garland (Texas) South Garland is in the midst of a special season in football. The Colonels just finished up a 9-1 regular season and a district championship and they will be riding a nine-game winning streak into the first round of the playoffs. Throughout it all, the leader of South Garland all season has been Baylor-bound quarterback Nick Florence.

"We lost our first game and we've won the last nine," Florence said. "We're really excited going into the playoffs. There's just been something different about the team. I've never been around a team like this. There's a real team atmosphere."

It is easy to tell the camaraderie that is in the air on the South Garland team and Florence has noticed that this season has been truly special.

"It just seems like everybody is real close and tight and just really bonding together," he said. "We've all got each other's backs and it's just a special thing to be around."

On the strength of a district championship and a nine-game winning streak, the Colonels make no secret of what their goal is.

"Obviously we want to play until December 22nd," he said. "Everyone realizes that we've got a real good shot if we take it one game at a time. It's win or go home and we're going to have that mentality one game at a time."

Personally, Florence has been extremely productive and has been doing a large chunk of his damage on the ground as well as in the air.

"It's been and awesome senior year, probably better than I ever imagined," he said. "I've been good through the air and when I get a chance to run I'll run. Hats off to the offensive line for their blocking and the wide receivers. The number of times they've caught the ball at eight yards and turned it into 80 makes me look great. We've just got the chemistry going this year."

As good as his senior season is going in high school, his freshman year in college is already facing some uncertainty. Florence has been committed to Baylor since early last spring, but recent rumors swirling around the job security of Guy Morriss brings in obvious questions about Florence's commitment. However, the signal-caller is sticking by the Bears.

"I'm definitely still committed," he said. "We're gonna wait and see what happens. Probably as long as they still offer unless something crazy happens I'll still go to Baylor. That's not even my focus right now."

Florence's focus is the state playoffs, and at the end of that run, he plans on getting to the Waco campus.

"I'll visit sometime in January," he said. "Probably after the playoffs."