7 Reasons Why The Miami Central Rockets Could Win A National Championship

The Rockets are loaded and we give seven reasons why they may be the best in the country once the smoke settles in 2023

MIAMI, FLORIDA- Talented, ultra athletic, experienced, battle tested are some of the words you’d associate around this upcoming Miami Central football team. 

Yeah, the same group that upset IMG Academy last season to begin the 2022 season is potentially even better this time around. That's really saying something when you had stars like Rueben Bain and Keyone Jenkins leading the way. 

This Central Rockets team, though, is different. So much so that the 'Drive for Five' motto that head coach Jube Joseph has been harping on could turn more into a chase for the natty. 

Miami Central is that good and we have for you seven reasons why the Rockets could be in line to win a national championship when all is said and done. Take a look at our reasons below and comment on what you think. 

7. Quarterback Play 

You might think this is an area the Rockets might tale some kind of drop off from, but that would be the wrong way to go when trying to find a weakness. Miami Central is in the midst of a 3-way quarterback battle going on between JC Evans (Brandeis transfer), Bekkem Kritza (Santa Margarita Catholic transfer) and Antonio Smith (Killian transfer). 

All three are more than capable of filling the shoes of Jenkins, who has since graduated and is now at FIU. Each brings their own style of play to the position, but leave no doubt that whomever the signal caller is, the Rockets will be solid. 

6. Miami Swag 

When the Rockets host or travel to a stadium, you know they're there. From the marching band to the back flips on the field to the in-game trash talk, the Rockets bring a swagger that not many teams can exhibit on gameday. 

Though their words prior to any game would maybe scream more of underdog mentality, make no bones about it, Miami Central expects to win and dominate any time they step on a football field. 

Intimidation works in the Rockets' favor on mostly any night and against any opponents and no one probably does it better than Miami Central. 

5. Athletes Out The Wazoo

We've talked about the quarterbacks already and defensive line will be something we dive into more ahead, but let's talk about the shear amount of athletes the Rockets will have dotted along their roster this fall. 

Miami Central was pretty talented at the wide receiver position last season, but will have plenty of guys to choose from at pass catchers. Returning is Florida State commitment Lawayne McCoy, who caught 20 passes for 491 yards. Joining McCoy will be junior wide receiver Anjuan Coleman, who nabbed 25 passes for 330 yards. 

In the defensive backfield, McCoy leads a talented group along with cornerback Jamari Howard. safety Amari Wallace and a slew of others. Let's just say at any of the skill positions, the Rockets will be pretty hard to matchup with. 

4. Championship Experience 

Nine state championships. Four straight state titles. Driving for a fifth in a row. 

Need we say more? 

Experience when it comes to winning state titles is something Joseph has driven home to his program as a right of passage. You expect to be in the big dance at the end of the season. 

There is only two schools that even have more state championships than Miami Central and that's Bolles and St. Thomas Aquinas. Otherwise, they're currently tied with Trinity Christian Academy and University Christian for nine championships. We have a strong feeling they will make it 10 this December coming up. 

3. Elite Front Seven 

Miami Central lost Bain (now at the University of Miami), but gained one of the top Class of 2025 talents in defensive tackle Armondo Blount, Blount last season racked up 30 tackles for loss and 16 sacks for Dillard in 2022. He essentially fills in where Bain's void would've been at and wait, there's more. Linebackers Ezekiel Marcelin, Lamar Smith and Vincent Shavers are heavy hitters and can cover in space. 

Joining Blount, Marcelin, Shavers on defense is California transplants T.A. Cunningham and his Class of 2027 brother T.K. Cunningham, both transferred in this off-season along with Kritza. T.A. Cunningham is rated a four-star rated prospect according to 247Sports and though he couldn't play for much of 2022 at Los Alamitos, he displayed his potential at John's Creek in 2021 by notching 66 tackles, 22 for loss and seven sacks. 

This group is scary and can play with anyone around the country. 

2. Grueling Regular Season Schedule 

Last year's schedule was tough, there's no argument against that. It's even tougher this time around because of some additions to the 2023 slate. Major additions that is. 

A trip out west on Sep. 1st will be the game that really may tell the tale if the Rockets win a national championship as they'll face Bishop Gorman. For those who don't remember, Bishop Gorman cruised by Chaminade-Madonna for the GEICO National Championship out in Las Vegas last December. 

Oh and about those Lions, the Rockets will see them in Week 5 of the regular season. Miami Northwestern, Miami Booker T. Washington, Miami Norland and Monsignor Pace are all also on the schedule as well for the fall. Not to mention a possible road to the GMAC championship game and maybe meeting with Columbus. 

1. Motivation After Last Year

Wait, what motivation do you need, Rockets? If you've ever watched a Jube Joseph pre-game, halftime speech, you'd know what I'm talking about. The Miami Central lead man makes sure his players know what they're up against, how hard they work and motivates like no other. Reverse psychology in a way, with letting the players know it a 'them versus all' mentality and also, not winning last year's 2022 national championship unanimously across the board. 

The Rockets finished the 2022 season as the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25's No. 4-ranked team in the country after finishing 14-0 and they certainly made their case to being the best in the nation. Miami Central started off 2022 with an improbable 20-14 victory over IMG Academy, sparking one of the more unexpected victories of the season. That wasn't enough, though. Beating Plantation American Heritage for the Class 2M title was thought to be the icing on the cake in making the Rockets national champions, but St. John Bosco (CA) ended with those honors. 

Best believe the Rockets use every game as a chip-on-their-shoulder and handle business as usual off NW 95th St.  

Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.