Canes defense a work in progress

Manatee is heading into its first district game Friday at Sarasota, and coach Joe Kinnan hopes the Hurricanes' new-look defense takes more steps in the right direction.
The Canes ditched the 3-4 they ran last year in exchange for a 4-2-5. Four weeks in, and Kinnan is starting to see improvement.
"This is a little different than what we've been doing, with different fronts and coverages," Kinnan said. "It's a learning experience for our kids as well as our coaching staff."
One change the Canes will make will be at defensive end, where freshman Marquis Dawsey will start Friday against the Sailors.
"The goal is to get the best players out there," Kinnan said.
Everything has gone the right way for Manatee, which is 4-0. But Kinnan knows tonight begins a pivotal stretch for the Hurricanes, who face Class 5A-District 10 opponents in four of their last six games.
"They're starting to understand what we’re trying to get across from them," Kinnan said. "Learning from our mistakes, and trying to improve, is the purpose of what we’re trying to do.