Rentz family tradition continues in Beaufort

It's pretty easy to think of reasons why Mike Rentz III might not be best suited to play center for the Beaufort Middle School football team.

He's the team's lone seventh-grade starter, he weighs about 130 pounds soaking wet and, oh yeah, his dad is the Gryphons' head coach.

But really, it's this appearance of nepotism that turns scrutiny into sensibility. After all, Mike III knows he's protecting more than just the quarterback out there; he's also guarding a Beaufort football legacy that started 22 years ago with two guys who also share his name.

In 1985 and 1986, Mike Jr. was the guy under center, playing quarterback at the old Beaufort High School stadium (now home of the Gryphons) under the watchful eye of his dad, Mike Sr., long-time athletics director and football coach for the Eagles.

"I've been hearing about it for years and it's kind of funny to see all the old video," Mike III said. "It definitely makes playing football at Beaufort Middle more special."

Mike Jr. still isn't sure how the situation came about. After seven years of coaching PALS football and baseball, he was primed to watch from the stands as his son rose to the next level of competition. But when Beaufort Middle School athletics director Greg Hall caught wind of his pedigree and past coaching experience, Mike Jr. once again found himself on the sidelines.

"I enjoy coaching and the more I've done it, it's more of an in-your-blood thing, but I thought I had just one more year and then I'd become a parent," Mike Jr. admitted. "A lot of me would rather be in the stands, but I wanted to make sure the kids had somebody to coach them, so it's just one of those deals."

Not that it's your typical deal when "Coach" is also "Dad," but as the eldest Mike recalls, juggling the two roles wasn't all that challenging.

During practices and games, the goal was for Mike Jr. to become a better quarterback, while Mike Sr. was in charge of improving the Eagles as whole. Otherwise, the two were just your typical father and son.

"Basically we made a point not to talk about football when we got home; we were both tired of it by that point, anyway," said Mike Sr., who now coaches the freshman football team at Fleming Island High School in Florida. "But I enjoyed it, and he was our best quarterback at the time, so I didn't catch a whole lot of grief, and I didn't make it harder for him than any of the other kids."

Well, except for that one scrimmage during Mike Jr.'s senior year in 1986 when he saw the lines of disappointed dad and infuriated coach cross.

After honing his skills at passing camp during the offseason, Mike Jr. figured it'd be a good time to test his arm strength on a play-action pass to the tight end. But the quarterback's ambition was quickly deflated when a defender stepped in front of the throw and went the other way for a touchdown.

"When the play had stopped and I turned around, I realized my dad had chased me all the way downfield, grabbed my facemask and said, 'Are you crazy? Never do that again,' " said Mike Jr., who went on to play two years of football at Navy. "At that point, I realized that maybe there was a little more pressure on him than I thought."

Mike Jr. admits to feeling some of that pressure through the Gryphons' first two games, as they defeated rival Lady's Island Middle School before falling last week to undefeated Whale Branch Middle School. The victory warranted an excited call to his dad, who has helped him learn how to run a program, keep all 53 of his players engaged and maintain the right balance with his own son.

"He hasn't asked me much about X's and O's,' Mike Sr. said. "He's moreso concerned with the ins and outs of being a head coach. I just tell him to not be in a hurry to decide who plays where, make it enjoyable for the players and make sure he enjoys it, too."

And judging by the way Mike III is talking, Mike Jr. might be having similar conversations with his son in the future.

"Hopefully, I can keep passing on the generation by playing in high school and eventually coaching," Mike III said. "I don't want to stop at just playing, because I'm very proud to be part of such a legacy. Yeah, he gets on me a little bit more on the field, but I don't mind because I guess he can do that since he's my dad."