Tarpons hire Forsythe as head football coach

South Lafourche High School has its new head football coach.

He is the only candidate who applied for the job from an area high school.

Tarpons principal Gaye Cheramie confirmed to The Times on Wednesday morning that the school has hired H.L. Bourgeois offensive coordinator Blake Forsythe to be its next coach — the second-straight season the school will have a first-year coach.

Forsythe just turned 26 and will be one of — if not the youngest — head coach in Louisiana for the 2017 season.

Prior to coaching at H.L. Bourgeois, Forsythe also spent time at E.D. White.

He was a decorated player at St. Charles Catholic before getting into coaching.

“I am blessed, because I’ve learned from a lot of outstanding coaches during my time as a player and also as an assistant coach,” Forsythe said. “I can’t wait to get started. This is an excellent opportunity for my family and I, and we look forward to building a winning program with the Tarpons.”

“Coach Forsythe brings with him an enthusiasm and love for the game,” Cheramie said. “Coach Forsythe is a welcome addition to the South Lafourche family.”

Forsythe started his position on Thursday, taking over a health class, in addition to his football coaching responsibilities.

He said he can’t wait to get started on the field.

The former Braves offensive coordinator is widely regarded as one of the brightest young football minds in the Houma-Thibodaux area — a coach who landed at South Lafourche in part because of the impression he made on the school’s

search committee, but also because of the extensive list of local references who vouched for him during the application process.

With the Braves last season, Forsythe’s offense thrived, scoring 40 or more points in three games and making the Class 5A State Playoffs despite a brutally challenging schedule which pit the Braves against Destrehan, Hahnville, East St. John, Thibodaux and Terrebonne, among others.

Forsythe said he appreciated his time with the Braves, but said he’s always wanted to be a head coach.

He said he was attracted to the Tarpons job because he has friends from down the bayou, and he knows the community tirelessly supports South Lafourche football.

Forsythe will be replacing outgoing coach Brandon Nowlin, who was relieved of his coaching duties in early November after going 3-7 in his lone season with the team.

Nowlin stayed with the school through the first semester, but has since been relocated to another school within Lafourche Parish.

“I think I have seen both ways of how to get things done, and I think that will be helpful for what we need,” Forsythe said. “I’ve been on big, established programs like St. Charles Catholic and then E.D. White – teams that win every year. Then, at H.L. Bourgeois, we started in a rebuilding stage, and have been working our way up. I think being part of both situations will be very helpful to me as we move forward.”

Tarpon fans wondering about Forsythe’s offensive style will likely be happy.

In the past, Forsythe operated out of shotgun spread sets, but the Braves ran the football primarily out of those sets almost in a veer or option-style look.

With the Tarpons, Forsythe said he will work to fit his talent, but the Tarpons will always look to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

“We’re going to run the football, and we’re going to run the football a lot,” Forsythe said with a laugh. “I believe that if you run the football, it can change the whole game. We may not have the personnel to always defend those high-powered passing teams. But if we can run the football, we can limit possessions, control the clock and the pace of the game and limit the times they have the football. So that’s what we will aim to do.”

South Lafourche was down last year but isn’t expected to be that way for long.

The Tarpons return halfback Corbin Allen, receivers Marquis Francis and DaMarcus Caine and offensive lineman Chad Cheramie on offense all players who may get collegiate looks.

Defensively, the Tarpons return hybrid lineman Terry Hunter and Jeremy Rodgers, who are two of the most dominant players in the area.

Forsythe said he can’t wait to evaluate his team and get to work in advance of spring football.

“It’s a great day to be a Tarpon,” he said.