{
  "id": 3879011,
  "title": "Forest football culture shift continues under John Brantley in Eastside win",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/forest-football-culture-shift-continues-under-john-brantley-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-28T03:35:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/forest-football-culture-shift-continues-033517587.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gainesville, FL - Forest football made a prominent start in their season on Thursday, boasting a dominating 39-15 victory over Eastside at Citizens Field in Gainesville. This marked the first time in nine years that the Wildcats have begun a campaign with a 2-0 record. Coach John Brantley III, who returned to Forest after spending the previous season at Trinity Catholic, admitted that there is still progress to be made, but he's not complaining. \"I've started a lot of seasons worse than 2-0,\" Brantley stated after the game, emphasizing that the team had been sloppy in their first game due to not getting a kickoff return for a touchdown, but they have shown significant improvement from Week 1 to Week 2. The Wildcats struggled initially against a strong Rams defense, ranking among the best in Class 3A in 2025. They conceded three-and-out on their opening drive and then faced a blocked punt, which set up Eastside inside the 20-yard line. However, Cade Sutherland intercepted a pass from Rams quarterback Christian Neal, a senior captain for the Wildcats, returning it 95 yards. This play led to another Forest touchdown when Keziyrehun Rivers caught it. Eastside struggled with their kicking game, prompting Forest to capitalize on their defensive strength. Brantley highlighted the team's control throughout the game, attributing any success to effective defensive strategies. As the Wildcat offense gained momentum, Brantley emphasized the importance of maintaining a high tempo to maximize their running game's impact on the passing game. Rivers, who rushed for over 1,000 yards this season, carried much of the offense and scored another touchdown, contributing to a 26-9 halftime lead. Quarterback Caleb Sanford also performed well, trusting Rivers' decision-making. Despite the win, Brantley acknowledged that Forest still needs to compete against other district teams such as Oakleaf, Buchholz, and rival Vanguard. He emphasized the necessity of winning consecutive games, stating that if they don't practice efficiently, it will affect their performance on game days. Nevertheless, the arrival of a full offseason has allowed Brantley to communicate more effectively with his team, fostering a stronger understanding of his expectations. The culture shift at Forest has been significant, with honor being restored for both current and former players. Brantley noted that the team's previous struggles with their identity were a result of being labeled as \"bad\" for many years. Now, players can wear their Forest T-shirts around Ocala without feeling ashamed. The emotional impact of this cultural transformation will be apparent next Friday when Forest faces their rival, Trinity Catholic, in a highly anticipated rematch. Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com, and the USA TODAY Network.",
  "summary": "The benefits of a full off-season for John Brantley and Forest football are paying off as the Wildcats culture shift continued with a win over Eastside Thursday and a 2-0 start.",
  "key_points": [
    "Forest Wildcats start season 2-0, marking first 9-year win streak",
    "Cade Sutherland intercepts Rams QB, scores 95-yard TD",
    "Coach John Brantley emphasizes defensive control and high tempo"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Coach John Brantley's return to Forest has sparked a cultural shift, restoring honor and pride among players, who can now proudly wear their Forest T-shirts without feeling ashamed.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}