Pensacola News Journal
August 26, 2001
Section: Sports
Page: 1D, 7D

REMEMBER THE TITANS
Doug Haller

In the early 1980s, Don Sharpe brought discipline and a winning attitude to Woodham High School. After six years, his football teams had won two state titles and left a legacy that has yet to be repeated.

If anyone lost equipment, he had a choice. A mile, or a lick. Because the lick would be delivered by paddle, many Woodham Titan football players chose to run a mile. Probably a wise decision.

Don Sharpe didn't tolerate distractions. His coaching philosophy centered on two things: organization and discipline. From the time the Titans walked on the field to the time they walked off, everything was choreographed. Nothing left to chance.

If players had the flu, they didn't call the attendance office. They phoned Coach Sharpe. Likewise, if they misbehaved in class, teachers didn't notify the dean. They contacted the football coach.

This was in the early 1980s, when a Prince or Sheena Easton cassette sold for $5.99, when leg-warmers were fashionable and when high school football ruled Northwest Florida.

To this day, Sharpe's staff is convinced that Pine Forest rented a house near its practice field so it could tape Woodham's workouts. A coach swears he saw the camera tripod erected in the back yard.

If that's true, it didn't help much. From 1982-84, Sharpe's Titans were as feared as any area team in modern history. They won 28 consecutive regular-season games, three district championships and two state titles.

Defending Class 4A champ Pine Forest enters this season with 26 regular-season wins. Pace has won 21 straight. But neither yet match Woodham's domination.

The Titans thrived on simplicity. In 1984, Sharpe once called the same running play 16 straight times. In his words, they ran it until the defense's noses bled. Why? Because it couldn't be stopped.

``They lined up their offensive linemen shoe-to-shoe and tried to dominate the line of scrimmage, which they did almost every game,'' said Tom White, then the offensive line coach at Pensacola High.

``They were as methodical as a team as I've ever seen around here.''

Their success transformed the entire school. Before Sharpe's arrival, Woodham was known for its partying.

Then came Sharpe, a short guy with a loud voice and strict rules. Rumor had it that he was an Alabama legend, leading Andalusia High to two state titles and a state-record 58 consecutive regular season wins.

He hadn't been at Woodham a year when he rounded up the team outside the school's weight room.

``I need a commitment,'' Sharpe said. ``Work hard, do everything I ask, and I promise, one day you'll be state champions.''

``We believed every word,'' 1984 graduate Chris Stinson said. ``All of us. The whole program was like an academy. And once we started winning, it spread throughout the entire school.

``All of a sudden, it seemed like it was cool to be an athlete at Woodham.''

Today, Don Sharpe, 59, lives in Niceville and works in the oil business. He hasn't coached football since he retired after the 1985 season. He has attended only one high school game.

But he still thinks about the glory days. Just the other day, he told a friend that he ought to hire a ghost writer to record his memories.

The rumors in 1980 had been true. Sharpe was indeed a legend. After graduating cum laude from Troy State, he started a dynasty at Andalusia, compiling an 80-8-2 record.

At Woodham, he built a program based on discipline and hard work.

Football became a year-round sport for the Titans. During the summer, when practice was forbidden, they hit blocking dummies in the locker-room showers. Occasionally, the linemen met at Joel Williams' house and studied formations in the assistant coach's living room, the defense marked by orange cones.

No ride to practice?

No excuse.

Sharpe convinced the quarterback club to buy an old bus, which transported about 30 students to and from school. Some nights, the trip took longer than an hour. No one complained.

``That's the only way I could've played,'' said Lonnie Gould, a 1984 graduate. ``It was only my mother in our house, and she had five kids. No way she could've picked me up every day.''

On the field, no detail was overlooked. When the Titans left the locker room, their helmets had to be fastened. If one person forgot, everyone ran. And heaven forbid someone lost equipment.

Linebacker Greg Lucia lost a hip pad one night. The next day Sharpe gave him a choice.

A mile or a lick?

Lucia chose the lick.

``And for some reason I think Coach let out a little frustration on that one,'' he said.

The reins tightened on road trips. Every player loaded the bus with itineraries. They were told where they would eat, what time, how much it would cost.

If a stay-over was necessary, Sharpe assigned roommates. Usually, if you made so much as a long-distance phone call, you were sent home. But there were exceptions.

During a trip to Bradenton during the 1985 playoffs, Donald Whyner was caught taking a bath after curfew. Problem was, Whyner couldn't hear Sharpe knocking on the bathroom door. He was wearing headphones.

``So I'm sitting in the tub, listening to the radio, drinking a Coke, spitting sunflower seeds, and here comes Sharpe, busting through the door, just going ballistic,'' said Whyner, who works at Jerry Pate Turf. ``I had to get up, get dressed and run 20 laps around the hotel, and this is the night before a playoff game.''

Sharpe laughed when hearing that story.

``Donald Whyner ... is that who that was?''

But he doesn't apologize. Times are different now. He realizes that. But discipline is what eventually triggered two state titles and all those wins. It produced an attitude, one that demanded success.

``I can't claim responsibility for all those things,'' Sharpe said. ``Sometimes I'm not sure why it all happened. We just had the right mix, I guess. It was scary. We told them what they had to do and they went out and killed themselves.

``It became a thing to do for them, a way of pride, a way of life.''

Two weeks ago, nine Titans gathered at Jeff DeWeese's house off Creighton Road to watch a recording of the 1984 state title game against Miami Southridge.

DeWeese grinned as he watched himself intercept a second-half pass and celebrate by waving his arms like a pelican as he ran to the sideline.

Charlie Krasnosky, the team's quarterback, pointed out that DeWeese hadn't removed his helmet.

``No way,'' DeWeese said.

Geoff Fairchild laughed.

``But didn't you just live for the day when you got those gray practice shorts,'' the former kicker asked. ``I don't know why, but to me, that meant you were officially on the team.''

DeWeese turned and walked down the hall. Thirty seconds later he returned.

``You mean these?'' he said, holding up the shorts as everyone laughed.

``What are you talking about?'' Krasnosky said, lifting his maroon shirt to reveal a white Woodham T-shirt that was about five sizes too small. ``I still wear this all the time.''

Sharpe retired after Woodham lost to Bradenton in the 1985 finals. It was time for a new challenge. He finished with 60 wins in six years. Since then, Woodham has won only 49 games.

That makes the former Titans feel even better. Makes them realize that what they had was special. They don't plan on cheering against Pine Forest this week.

But if the Eagles match their regular-season streak, they insist it won't tarnish their accomplishments. Or the legacy of the man who started it.

``I honestly feel like if I were not part of that football team, I wouldn't be where I am today,'' said Bobby Taylor, a 1985 graduate who is director of engineering at All Pro Sound.

``I learned so much about life. We were one big family. A lot of the coaches were like second dads to us. I'll remember that for as long as I live.''

Don Sharpe led the 1982 and 1984 Woodham High football teams to Class 4A state football championships. From 1981-84, the Titans won 28 straight regular-season games.

THE STREAK
The Woodham High football team won 28 consecutive regular-season games from 1981-84. Here is a rundown of the Titans' streak:

1981
1 - Woodham 19, Escambia 12

1982
2 - Woodham 34, Panama City Mosley 7
3 - Woodham 28, Fort Walton Beach 6
4 - Woodham 42, Washington 16
5 - Woodham 28, Tate 0
6 - Woodham 77, St. Martins (Miss.) 0
7 - Woodham 48, Mobile Montgomery 13
8 - Woodham 42, Tallahassee Godby 7
9 - Woodham 49, Pine Forest 6
10 - Woodham 35, Escambia 0

1983
11 - Woodham 42, Tallahassee Leon 15
12 - Woodham 27, Fort Walton Beach 0
13 - Woodham 35, New Orleans Warner Easton 7
14 - Woodham 17, Panama City 13
15 - Woodham 59, Baton Rouge Belaire 13
16 - Woodham 20, Mobile Montgomery 0
17 - Woodham 35, Pine Forest 20
18 - Woodham 69, Washington 0
19 - Woodham 21, Tate 13

1984
20 - Woodham 17, Escambia 10
21 - Woodham 21, Fort Walton Beach 0
22 - Woodham 26, Mobile Blount 0
23 - Woodham 49, Panama City Mosley 0
24 - Woodham 30, Baton Rouge Belaire 3
25 - Woodham 28, Choctaw 6
26 - Woodham 20, Pine Forest 7
27 - Woodham 31, Washington 6
28 - Woodham 35, Tate 0

[Inserted]
Championship Games
29 - Woodham 19, Ft. Walton 14
30 - Woodham 33, Lake City Columbia 6
31 - Woodham 28, Lakeland 13
32 - Woodham 20, Southridge 7

STREAK BREAKER
Sept. 13, 1985 - Escambia 23, Woodham 21. Then-freshman Emmitt Smith, a future Super Bowl MVP, ran for 236 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores were set up by Woodham turnovers. The Titans eventually lost in the state title game. A month later, Coach Don Sharpe retired.

In 1984, Woodham coach Don Sharpe and quarterback Charlie Krasnosky led the Titans to an undefeated season and a state championship, the school's second in three seasons.

Where Are They Now?
Some of the players from the 1982-84 Woodham football teams:

PLAYERS
Scott Andress insurance business Atlanta
Johnny Arnold Reichhold Chemicals Pensacola
Willie Blankenship construction Pensacola
Alan Blue construction McComb, Miss.
Larry Brewer accountant Tampa
Mike Bridges Southern Lawn Service Pensacola
Chris Bromley hotel administration New Orleans
Scott Bromley Vice President of Sqwincher Columbus, Miss.
Arvester Burrell owns paving company Orlando
Jeff DeWeese General Electric Pensacola
Rodney Edmonds paint seller Pensacola
Geoff Fairchild N/A Pensacola
Anthony Fisher UWF maintenance Pensacola
Robert Gaddy Thomas Home Corp. Pensacola
Lonnie Gould International Paper Milton
Onesimus Henry General Electric engineer Pensacola
Thomas Henry homebuilder Pensacola
Curtis Howard Watkins Motorlines Daphne, Ala.
Caesar Jones police officer Picayune, Miss.
Carl Jones Escambia County Sheriff's Office Pensacola
Mark Kemp management consulting Pensacola
Charlie Krasnosky civil engineer Pensacola
John Laycock scientist Southern Calif.
Barry Lett probation officer Pensacola
Greg Lucia Goldring Distributing Pensacola
Mike McCoy Network Telephone Pensacola
Wes Meadows N/A Gulf Breeze
Mike O'Daniel real estate appraiser Pensacola
Michael Scott truck driver Pensacola
Vince Sparks manager Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola
Ken Squazzo autoglass repair business Orlando
Ronald Stallworth Merrill Lynch Montgomery, Ala.
Essex Steen National Linen Services Pensacola
Chris Stinson Metalcraft Pensacola
Doug Stinson Brownsville Welding Shop Pensacola
Bobby Taylor All Pro Sound Pace
Randy Ward Southern Lawn Service Pensacola
Kerry Watkins N/A West Palm Beach
Donald Whyner Jerry Pate Turf Pensacola

COACHES
Pierce McIntosh high school principal Indianola, Miss.
Mike O'Leary television marketing Orlando
Don Sharpe oil business Niceville
Mack Sturdivant retired Cantonment
Mike Thorsen football coach
Birmingham, Ala.
Joel Williams football coach Gadsden, Ala.