Tampa Catholic’s New-Look Offense Has the Crusaders Off to a Fast Start

And the Crusaders are putting up points in a hurry.

Tampa Catholic has scored 94 points through its first two games, an average of 47 per game, with Thursday night’s 48-39 win over St. Petersburg Catholic providing the latest look at an offense that has changed considerably from a year ago.

The difference in this matchup alone was hard to miss.

St. Petersburg Catholic beat Tampa Catholic 48-7 last season. One year later, the Crusaders flipped the result and walked away with a nine-point win.

At the center of the early turnaround has been senior quarterback Chance Houston.

Houston transferred from Land O’ Lakes after spending two years as the starter there, and the experience has shown early. Through two games, he has completed 26 of 40 passes for 450 yards and six touchdowns without throwing an interception.

More than anything, Houston has taken care of the football while getting it into the hands of a receiving group that gives Tampa Catholic several different options.

Mannie McKinney has been the biggest downfield threat so far. The senior has six catches for 183 yards, averaging 30.5 yards per reception. Eastyn Billingsley has six receptions for 113 yards, while Jeremy Tolliver Jr. has six catches for 52 yards. Former Land O’ Lakes teammate Dylan Richardson gives Houston another familiar target in the offense.

The production hasn’t been limited to the passing game.

EJ Douglas has 29 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns, giving the Crusaders a reliable option on the ground. Houston has also added a rushing touchdown, and Tampa Catholic has already scored four times on the ground as a team.

There was plenty of talk during the offseason about how different Tampa Catholic could look in 2026.

Through two games, we’re starting to see it.

Head coach Mike Gregory and his staff had plenty to sort through after last season, from bringing new pieces into the mix to finding the right roles for a roster that looks much different than it did a year ago. So far, the early returns have been hard to ignore.

The Crusaders are undefeated. They’re averaging 47 points per game, Houston has yet to turn the ball over through the air, and several different players are getting involved offensively.

The defense has made plays when needed, too.

Tampa Catholic already has four interceptions, with David Delgardo and Wake Forest commit Carl Jones Jr. recording two each. Chad Murray, the team’s leading tackler from a year ago, returns at linebacker, while Jonah Phillips and Tolliver are also part of a defense with plenty of experience to work with.

For Gregory, that balance may be one of the more encouraging parts of the start. Tampa Catholic is not simply winning behind one player or one side of the football. The Crusaders have gotten production from a number of new faces while returning veterans have settled into bigger roles.

There will be tougher tests ahead.

Nature Coast, Berkeley Prep, Clearwater Central Catholic, Boca Ciega, Lakewood, Clearwater and Jesuit remain on the schedule. How Tampa Catholic handles that stretch will tell us much more about where this team stands.

But two weeks in, the Crusaders have already given people a reason to pay attention.

A team that won once all of last season has started 2026 undefeated and scored 94 points in the process.

For Tampa Catholic, this is starting to look like more than just a good start.