DESTINFM SCOREBOARD SHOW FRIDAY JUNE 26TH, 2026 Exclusive Interview with Crestview Head FB Coach Thomas Grant

The Destin FM Scoreboard show is a Weekly Show hosted by DestinFM's Sports Director Rich Quinones, who takes an in-depth look at the local HS and College Sports scene, from recaps, to previews to in-depth interviews and breaking news!

Q has you covered! If you are looking for 100% local sports coverage in the Emerald Coast, this is the podcast for you.

On the latest edition of the Scoreboard Show, Q had the pleasure of speaking with Crestview Head FB Coach Thomas Grant.

Coach Grant shared his backstory, what led him to want to be a HS Coach, the growth of his team and the painful lessons they learned last season and how they will help them succeed on the field in 2026. #panhandle #crestview #florida #highschoolfootball #football #highschool

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DESTINFM SCOREBOARD SHOW

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:06

To another edition of the Destin FM Scoreboard show. As always, I'm your host, Rich Canyunas. Don't forget to get social with us on all platforms. Very easy to do. Keep supporting what we're trying to do hyperlocal for Destin FM. We kind of capture the storylines with uh in the high school ranks, JUCO, junior college, the minors, and of course the professional ranks. And uh we tracked them down. He's running errands all over the place. He's, you know, he's getting set for a playoff push, which is always a it's always interesting this time of year when you start to kind of plant the seed with high school football, especially uh in the panhandle, because a lot of coaches are doing some great stuff. We got one of them right now joining us for a few. Crestville football head coach Thomas Grant, kind enough to join me for a couple moments. Coach, I see you got you're doing uh what are we doing today? We're driving around, we're taking care of business. Are we doing God's work or are you running errands right now?

SPEAKER_00 0:57

A little bit of everything, to be honest with you. So, yes, sir. It never stops, as you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

Yeah, no.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

Eat, sleep, work, and raise kids.

SPEAKER_01 1:05

Yeah, right. That is uh that is true. You know, it's funny because I was looking at uh your your background. I mean, it's crazy when you think you are a football lifer, like you are a lifer, right? In in in in in in in in the backyard, uh you know, grown up playing the sport. Uh I believe uh your your mom taught for close to 40 years, you played high school football, you won so many accolades, you went on to Jackson State, you're in the Hall of Fame. Uh, but now, you know, because over the last several years you've kind of wet your whistle in the coaching ranks, and I know you were an assistant for a long time. Yes, sir. Did did you ever have more aspirations of after graduation and going to college and playing in the pros, or did you always believe that coaching was going to be your calling?

SPEAKER_00 1:51

I I mean, I I definitely felt that coaching was going to be my calling, and I wanted to run my uh course, you know, playing, but you know, I was only good enough to um, you know, go through college, which, you know, I'm I'm very blessed um to do that. You know, everybody's career. Um, you know, when I ran out in college, but I knew that uh once um went to make anything with college, and then I wanted to come back to the high school ranks because um I didn't want to sacrifice, you know, you know, uh the college sports with Emily, you know, um, because I, you know, I you know, one of the greatest things for me is being a husband and a and a father. So um, but I knew I wanted to be in high school um coaching for sure.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Was you know, it's always tough when you you played at a certain spot or you know, you had success with a team, and then you come back and you're part of the coaching staff, and then you know, they always say you never want to be the guy to replace the guy. Obviously, you took over for Tim Hatton. Uh, was there did you feel as though there was any type of pressure put on you now? Kind of you're thrust into the spotlight of being the head coach of uh of a high school where you had such you know uh monumental great success as a player and ties to, was there more pressure on you now taking the head coaching gig?

SPEAKER_00 3:15

I I definitely think there's more um you know pressure just because you know that there's a lot of people that um sometimes still view you as Thomas Grant and not Coach Grant, you know, type thing, you know. So, you know, so sometimes that um you know it it can be a struggle, but you know, I love the Crushee kids, I love the community, and and I and I truly will want to be anywhere else.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Uh and it was fascinating to watch too last year, right? Because you guys kind of stumble out of the gate a little bit. I think you were one and three, and then all of a sudden, you know, uh players start to believe you start to buy in the defense took over the wins over uh S Cambia, Tate, Pine Forest. You know, when you and you guys are you got some talent coming back. I mean, you're your quarterback. Um uh the young man that uh uh I think he committed to Wake Forest.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

Uh correct, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 4:08

Yeah, my goodness. Um you you got some serious talent. Are you looking to be a team that's gonna be defense first and then let the offense uh fall into place, or are you gonna try to set the offense up with good defense?

SPEAKER_00 4:23

You know, honestly, I mean, look, we do have nine returners on offense. So um, you know, I definitely think we can take a next step um this year offensively, but saying that, you know, every game is is his own identity, you know, as far as you know, if we get in a game where you know defense, you know, is kind of dominating, kind of like this last year, you know, we're not gonna do anything to um hurt our defense type thing. You know, we will run the run run the ball, and you know, if we you know, punting's not a bad thing, um, you know, but if you know, there could be a game where we, you know, it has to be a shootout, you know, and you know, we've been throwing this summer, you know, we are definitely ahead of schedule. Um I'm ex there's a lot of young kids I'm extremely excited about on the perimeter, um, that they're definitely gonna make a name for themselves. So I definitely think it could be the best of both worlds, best of both roles this year. Um, like I said, we return nine on offense, we were turned five on defense, but there is a lot of young guys that have been doing really, really well this spring and summer, and I'm really excited about we're we're gonna look the part getting off the bus.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

That that's that's you know, I that's that's where the games won a loss. I mean, think about it, right? I mean, we know right, we know ultimately it's in the trenches. Uh yes, sir. It you mentioned you talked about your defense that during that winning streak really started to come on. You had some big stops, you know, uh third down efficiency, it was there, and then opportunistic, right? And any league, I don't care, whatever level, you got to be an opportunistic defense. You get those turnovers short enough the field, and it makes life that much more easier for the offense. But your offense, you mentioned all these players coming back. I mean, these are playmakers, like there's a difference between a playmaker and a playmaker. And you know, do you you got so many toys to play with, right? So you know, you mentioned that you were uh focused more on the passing attack, and we know a lot on the high school level teams, typically, especially down in the panhandle down south, they do want to run the ball to set up the play action. Does your quarterback have a little more of a green light this year? You know, take off.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

Oh, uh yes, sir. I mean, look, and even and look, there's gonna be times this year where we got a young kid named Brock Spears, he's gonna be a sophomore. Um, he has developed faster than what I was anticipating. So now that's gonna allow Zy when he's not a quarterback to be at receiver. So that's a whole different development that we have that now he's out wide. If, you know, a lot of teams, I would think um we're gonna have to um have two people responsible for him out wide, because if he's one-on-one with somebody, you know, we're gonna take our chances, you know. Um, and and we've been doing that this summer, you know, they've been splitting grips. Okay. Um, and when he's out wide, you know, he, I mean, you know, he's a very, very good vertical threat to say the least. Um, but um, yes, Zy at quarterback, he's been throwing the ball very well. Um, I think the other day, I we we threw with Destin. And um, I know Brock, he was the first nine, he was eight of nine, and I think Xy was six to nine. So, you know, those are some, and and really the uh the six and nine, there was two drops. So he could have been a lot better um if if we just would have uh caught the ball. But um, yeah, I'm I'm definitely excited to where you know we're at right now. And look, we're gonna do what the defense gives us. If they give us the lap box, we're gonna run it. If they if they give, if they try to take the run, then we gotta be able to win one-on-one matchups on the perimeter. That's what's gonna separate a first-round team from a third or fourth round team.

SPEAKER_01 8:05

Right. And listen, your schedule, I mean, it's tough. I mean, you look at I mean, that's uh, you know, you're you're you're laughing. I guess that's I guess you would know more than anyone. I guess that's an understatement, but you mentioned some of these weapons. You get these kids in space and they can do some real damage. And it's funny because, like you said, you know, you're you're you're coaching in certain styles, you have to have a feel for the game. And sometimes you got your you got to trust your defense to go out there, make a stop on third down, get the ball back. Special teams always has to be solid, and then offensively, you just got to be smart with the football, and then everything kind of you know it it falls into place. But when you now I saw the schedule, uh even doing the Destin FM updates, I was trying to get some of these, you know, this the schedules kind of come out sporadically, right? They it's almost like the NFL league, right? You get a couple here and there. When when you started, this did you have any idea of who was going to be on your schedule, or was it like sticker shock?

SPEAKER_00 9:03

I mean, uh, I mean, I I do the schedule, so I mean it definitely wasn't sticker shock. I mean, look, I I do I do my due diligence with all the local schools. Um, you know, you know, we call each other and try to line up games. Um, and look, I'll say this for us to do something that's never been done at Crescent, you you have to be battle tested. And, you know, I don't mind the competition. I think, especially with the way that the state of Florida is set up, you know, I think strength of schedule is a big thing. You know, it could be some of these tiebreakers for your strength of schedule. So um, you know, the Mandarin game was a was kind of an eye-opening um, you know, um, you know, because in the moment it did not, you know, obviously feel good. It felt like a lot bigger than what it was with the score. But then when you go back, when I went back and we watched a film together, you're like, guys, you know, we're a block here away from Papa something. You know, we're we're we're uh a misfit here on defense from you know, stop of this. So it wasn't, you know, it was uh look, and we had four turnovers that game. And look, go up to that point in the first you know, 10 games, we turned it over a total of three times through 10 games, and we turned it over four times that game. So, you know, we did some uncharistic things. Um, the moment of being in the playoffs for the first time since my first year, that none of these kids have ever been a part of. Um, it maybe got to us a little bit, you know, just that moment. But um I definitely think we learned a lot. Um, like we've had a great offseason. You know, that was probably the biggest turnaround for us uh from the previous year to this past year was we went from you know 20 turnovers in 10 games to three turnovers in 10 games.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

Yeah, and you know this, right? I mean, those turnovers sometimes it's all about what what part of the game do they come in, right? You can be driving all of a sudden and you cough it up in the red zone or and that's the snowball effect. And you mentioned that mannering game, which kind of got out of hand, but you mentioned they pulled away, right? They put up 42 and then they go on, they put up 42 against pace, and then they got humbled against buckholts. They only scored 20. But but to your point, uh, you know, so you it's interesting. You said now I is that the norm for I I mean, typically, um, even I know up and down the East Coast, a lot of times the um states will come out with the scheduling, not the schools, so to speak. So you did the scheduling yourself. Is this kind of to show, okay, last year's not a fluke, and now we're ready to kind of step up in competition? Because you like, for instance, you know, in the college ranks, a lot of times we'll put the softer teams, we'll start to build a get up a couple wins, get the rankings. Warm-up games. Right, yeah, there you go. Because we know how it is in the state of Florida, especially with the rankings, it can be extremely subjective.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Correct. Correct. I mean, look, obviously we don't have that luxury of any warm-up games. Um look, look, I I call some schools and you know, we couldn't match dates, and then it gets to a point where you know you need 10 games. Um, you know, I you know, I know I think us and Lincoln kind of schedule somewhat early. I I'm excited for that game as week one because that's coming right out of the gate. Right. You know, swinging. I think Lincoln, they've won district, it seems like 20 years in a row, it seems like over there at Tallahassee. You know, they're one of the premier teams over there. So um I think it's gonna be a great week one. Um now one thing's one thing I've tried to do the past couple years is like, you know, we get our kickoff classic, which is like a you know a warm-up game just because it doesn't count. But the week before that, we've done an official scrimmage and we're gonna do it again. So we'll actually basically have like two kind of scrimmages before um we play, um, which it's good. Just you know, you want to get all the kinks out. Like look with the schedule we got, we gotta be you know hitting the ground running because if you know Lincoln, Enterprise, uh Pine Forks, and Tater are the first four games. And um and those are some really, really uh good teams, to say the least.

SPEAKER_01 13:11

Yeah, no, no, they are. I know um uh I think Lee Lincoln hosts uh Gadson County, and then now they'll they'll travel to you, correct?

SPEAKER_00 13:20

This year Lincoln's come to us, and then we go to um Enterprise, and then Pine Forest, Tate, and Coffee County are the next three at home.

SPEAKER_01 13:29

Wow. So do you like the fact that um so you'll get what, two or three or four straight at home?

SPEAKER_00 13:37

I guess before we go to base.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:52

It's amazing. It look in I think my my third year, we we were four and one at home and one in four. No, we were four and one on the road, and one it was flip-flop for us for whatever reason. I mean, so but yeah, for the most part, you know, teams are stronger at home. And go back to the other question. I know in the state of Florida, most counties allow the head coach to come up with with the with the schedule. Okay. So I know in other states, kind of the ADs kind of do a little bit more, but in the state of Florida, to my knowledge, at least in my 20 years of experience, the head coaches have always made the high school varsity and JV schedule.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

Okay. And it's just probably working out, you know, the kinks logistically as well and trying to level that playing field. But you you get the meat and potatoes, you get a couple wins early, that's gonna give you some momentum, right? As opposed to starting, you know, say like a one and you know, a worst case scenario, one and three, one and four. You got to dig yourself out of that hole, right?

SPEAKER_00 14:50

Yes, sir. Uh, I mean, that's essentially what we did last year, where like, you know, last year I knew with, you know, I knew Milton was gonna be a lot better. Um, you know, Ronnie Douglas does a good job, and they had some, you know, KD Hall coming back, and you know, week two, uh, or our week two canceled on us, so we had an extra open week. So then we week three was Choctaw. That was kind of a a two-week lull after game one was just weird. But, you know, um, yeah, it you know, we started 0-2, week three was nice till it came back, you know, against them, and then you know, pace was the following week, which pace up front was just um, you know, when you have two power five guys on your offensive line and the rest are seniors, and Coach Vance does a great job. So I'm just I I told our kids, we just look, you can't look at the scoreboard right now. We just got to continue to get better. And if we get better, you know, we can run off five in a row and we're gonna be in the playoffs. And and luckily, you know, you know, and nowadays with sometimes kids are kind of you know very fickle on things, and you know, they don't really, you know, sometimes they're not taught to roll up their sleeves. You know, they think the grass is greener somewhere else, but luckily the kids bought in, they rolled up their sleeves, we got to work, and you know, we we reeled off five in a row and uh you know made the playoffs. And I think that experience is gonna be priceless this year for um hopefully a deep run.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

Yeah, and you mentioned that uh that chalk talk team. I had uh coach Peasley on. He he's he's he's a character, man. I mean, he's you know, you guys are no nonsense when it when it when it comes to uh you know the coach in high school football again, uh Crestview football head coach Thomas Crane kind of joined me. I I wanted to go back, you you mentioned something that kind of resonated with me with the grass uh not being you know the the grass greener on the other side. And as a as a coach, right, knowing what's going on in the state over the last several years, you're seeing some coaches jump, right? And maybe unhappy in their situation. Uh we know it's fluid. I know it's fluid like this in in in Ohio, in Jersey, in PA, New York, Florida. I think it's becoming a little more pronounced. Maybe they're jumping, they're going to Georgia, they're going out of state, you know, they want to have bigger payday. Uh, but you strike me as kind of a cat where, you know, hey man, this is where I've laid my hat and this. Because there's more value than you know, grinding it out from the beginning and then taking a team that struggled and then having them make a deep run. It's more fulfilling. Like you envision yourself where, hey, this is where I've laid my hat and this is where I'm I'm good here.

SPEAKER_00 17:30

Oh, 100%. Look, I mean, if I if I was getting it for the money, I would have GA'd early on and got into the college ranks and and hopefully I could have been a fired football coach one day at the college level, you know, like all these other guys. But um but no, like way out too, right? Yes, sir. Like, you know, you know, we always talk about the 1% of the college kids, but you know, as much as I got into it for them, I got into it for the 99% of the kids that are never gonna play college football again. You know, we're trying to create better men, better husbands, better fathers, because that's 99% of the kids. It's the 1% of the kids that get a you know opportunity. So, you know, and and look, and at credit shoot, you know, we we believe in development. You know, we're not gonna go out there and get other people's kids. You know, if you don't live in credit shooting, I really don't want you. You know, um, you know, we believe in development. You know, we we feel strong in our coachability where we can develop kids. You know, we we're not the type of coach that feels like they have to go get the best players in the area, you know, from other schools. Because I mean, to me, that's just a slap in the face to basically when you when you're a coach that does that, you're saying you're okay if that coach gets fired and and he and doesn't provide for his family. You know, so but you know, we we we have crescue kids and and we are thrilled to death to develop.

SPEAKER_01 18:48

It it it's a gr it you really bring up some interesting points because you know it it speaks to when you're in the community and you're entrenched and you've had success, they want a winner, right? And it I'm not the biggest fan of a portal in high school. That's correct. I'm not because it's you know what happens, right? Parents from the dawn of time, they've lived vicariously through their kids. So all of a sudden you got a father that was a good player, not a great player, and he's pushing the kid, pushing the kid. You know what? The heck with Crestview, let's go over here to Niceville. Or no, let's go to Pace, let's go to Miller. No, you're gonna play over there, you're gonna get more reps. You're gonna man, I'll tell you, do you ever kind of sit there with your coaching staff and you're like, man, this is frustrating having to deal with this nonsense?

SPEAKER_00 19:38

I mean, look, it is because at the end of the day, you know, what are we teaching our kids? Do we teach our kids hard work and persevere? Or would or do we take our kids to take the easy way out? I I'm gonna give you a story about a young man of two years ago. As a sophomore, he got cut. All right, never complained, he just got to work. As a junior, he played on the JV. Now he's developing to a senior where he's gonna be a starter on our defense. You know? So what life lessons did he learn compared to the life lesson where a kid picks up and balls and goes somewhere else? Yeah, you know, I just look, you know, we we talk about all the time either you can get to work or or you can or you can go to a corner and cry. But guess what? When you're an adult, that corner and cry doesn't work.

SPEAKER_01 20:28

No, no. And you're right, a lot it teaches a lot, it teaches the best part, right? Grip, perseverance, right? Overcoming adversity, right? And then you use those traits as you grow into a man in in in real life. Um, when you're out there, you know, uh blowing that whistle, you ever sit there stuff, you know what, man? Let me let me see if I can you know drop down on a uh two or three point stance here.

SPEAKER_00 20:51

You know, you hey, I maybe 10 years ago, uh, you know, maybe when I was around 30, 31, when I was still playing basketball out in desk at the men's league. But uh, but now you gotta come up slower with your back, right? I'm telling look, look, it's a full squat just getting out of bed every morning. That's my squat workout for the day.

SPEAKER_01 21:11

Now you played at Jackson State?

SPEAKER_00 21:13

Jacksonville State in Alabama, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 21:15

Jacksonville State. Okay, Jacksonville State, okay, okay. Well, what what what uh division was that?

SPEAKER_00 21:19

What what um that was FCS D1AA?

SPEAKER_01 21:22

That was oh wow, okay.

SPEAKER_00 21:24

Yes, sir. And then look, I finished at a small school out in Oklahoma, Division 2. So I spent three years at Jacksonville State, um, needed uh a fresh start and um and went to a D2 school down in Oklahoma. So I look I'm playing against a look. Robert Matthews is probably off the top of my head, you know. Um, you know, when he was in Alabama and AM, um there was a guy, um, there was a quarterback that played for the Bills that was at Northwestern State. I mean, look, very high-level football. Like, if parents just knew D1AA and D2, that is high, high level football. The difference is is just depth and speed, the top in speed. But there's freaks of nature's at all levels of college football.

SPEAKER_01 22:11

And hidden hidden gems. I mean, you know, you bring up Mathis met to uh went to uh McNair uh senior high school. I mean, he he was a player, man. He was a player. Uh 100%. Yeah, he was that's that's not that's not bad. And it's funny too, because even like you had a great career, right? I know E. G. Green's doing his thing as well. You know, little cup of coffee.

SPEAKER_00 22:30

Thank God too.

SPEAKER_01 22:31

Yeah, great. You know, I I say little cup of coffee in the NFL. It's so hard to get in the NFL. So that area, you guys are you guys are a hotbed, man. I I don't know what what's going on with the water down there or whatever, but it's like you're not gonna be.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

Well, if you find it, I want to give it to my son.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

So yeah, right. Um before uh coach, before and I appreciate the extent of time, but yeah, let's get out of here. Um what you know it let's bring it back a second. Obviously, wins are everything, but being entrenched in the community, what's that meant for you over the last you know 20 plus 25 plus years?

SPEAKER_00 23:07

I mean, look, I mean, look, the win, the wins are gonna come and go, but you know, when I have um when players, you know, send me a picture of their you know their wife and their wedding day or their firstborn or their kids or you know, they're vacationing back now and they stop by the high school to see me and see the coaches. I mean, I mean, look, I I I know the wins, you know, we have to win, but that's the relationship and the bonding and just, you know, and telling that I love them and you know, just um, you know, because love's more powerful than than fear. And, you know, back in the day, the coach, it was a they thought that fear, but no, you know, if if players know that you love them, you know, they're gonna run through a big wall for them and just you know, building those relationships and you know, I get happy birthday or send them happy birthday, just the constant, you know, communications from the 20-plus year career. That that means more to me than than than any you know type of win.

SPEAKER_01 24:07

Yeah, that's great stuff. Um, coach, can't thank you enough. Appreciate a couple moments. I look forward to uh seeing you in the show. Absolutely. And um, that's gonna do it for this edition of the Destin FM Scoreboard show. We want to remind everyone to get social with us, follow us on Facebook, Destin FM on IG at Destin FM X, Destin underscore FM, TikTok at Destin FM. You can catch me Monday to Friday with the scoreboard updates in the morning on SurfSupping Morning with Billy Surf. Download the app as always on Rich Canyonis. Get the latest by downloading the free Destin FM app in the App Store Google Play or at Destinfm.com.