TAMPA, Fla. — The Alonso Ravens are putting together the best regular season in program history, finishing 9-1, winning a district championship and building momentum behind a high-powered offense and a quarterback with football in his blood.
Junior quarterback Michael Pyne has been a major reason for the Ravens’ success. In just 20 career varsity games, Pyne has accounted for more than 3,800 passing yards and 53 total touchdowns.
His success starts long before Friday night lights.
WATCH: A family business: Alonso QB Michael Pyne leads Ravens to historic season
“I grew up in it. All my cousins played Division I football, my dad,” Pyne said of his love for the game.
Football isn't just a passion for the Pyne family. It's a tradition spanning more than a century.
Michael's great-grandfather played in the NFL in 1931. His grandfather played in the American Football League in 1965. And his father, Jim, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1994.
That makes the Pynes the first family with three generations of professional football players.
“My family has been playing football for over 100 years continuously. Football is kind of the family business. It's what we do,” Jim Pyne said.
Jim spent nine seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman, and he's passed plenty of that knowledge down to his son.
While he might not be teaching Michael how to throw a football, he's helping him understand what happens in front of him.
“He's been helpful in teaching me the O-line side of the game,” Michael said. “Quarterback is not all about throwing the ball. You got to be able to pick up the blitzes. He's on me a lot with that.”
That perspective has helped shape a quarterback who studies the game as hard as he plays it.
Coach Hayden Cantrell says Pyne watches more film than just about any player he's ever met, spending hours preparing to recognize opposing defenses.
And while Pyne is already committed to the University of Pennsylvania, his focus is firmly on the task at hand.
The Ravens are chasing something bigger: a state championship.
“It's 100 percent my job to get the team ready,” Pyne said. “I'm pushing my teammates the hardest. I'm pushing myself to prepare to practice the hardest, play the hardest.”
Alonso will host Newsome in the FHSAA Regional Quarterfinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
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For Tampa Bay 28 Sports Anchor Kyle Burger, pride in our local teams goes beyond college and the pros. Sports connect us as communities and families. You can connect with Kyle to share your passion for your local athletes below.
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