DeMarco Artis is a 6-foot-3 225-pound linebacker/defensive end from Sanford Seminole, Florida. His stock has been rising up recruiting boards this off-season after standing out in various individual workouts and camps. While he recently committed to UCF, he holds 32 offers, and schools will continue to pursue the talented edge-rusher. In a candid interview, Artis offered us his expectations for his upcoming senior season, a look into his recruitment, how he is dealing with the passing of his father, and what football means to him.
“Man, football is everything to me, I’ve been playing since I was seven-years-old, and playing in Florida is the real deal. Florida players are nothing but dogs and it’s a fight every time you step on that field. I’m glad I’m getting to play some of the best talent in the nation,” vaunted Artis.
Last year Sanford Seminole went 7-4 and failed to reach the 8A playoffs. While some may consider that record a disappointment, Artis was proud of the improvement he’s team has made since his freshman year.
“Going from 2-8, then 3-7, to 7-4 was great, even though we didn’t make the playoffs. As a team we’re still going after a state championship, that’s always the goal, so with the improvement we’ve seen that’s what we’re after this year,” remarked Artis. “We have a pretty new coaching staff, Don Stark he just came from the University of Orlando High School, we also some new assistant coaches and we still have coach Wiggins. It’s a great staff, I can really tell these guys know what they’re doing and they push us hard to get better.”
All reports seem to indicate that the Seminoles have bought in to their new coaching staff’s philosophy and morale is high in Sanford. Don Stark was an assistant coach at Seminole from 2001-2003. His ties to the community, plus the Seminole’s retention of former head coach Kerry Wiggins, made the coaching transition an easy one for the players. We asked Artis about what scheme changes he expects under Stark and what his role will be this year.
“We’re pretty much running the same offense, a 'NASCAR' offense, and on defense we’re running a 4-3,” he said. “In the base 4-3 I rush with my hand in the dirt. In the two-minute drill I stand up and rush. I asked my coaches why they don’t drop me in coverage in games like they do in 7on7 tournaments, but they told me they’d be fools to not let me just go get the passer."
His coaches have a point. Artis has a knack for materializing in opponents' backfields and shutting plays down before they start. Last season he racked up 12 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, to go along with 35 tackles, 21 solo, and a forced fumble.
When asked what he works on the most to improve he said, “Well I honestly feel like I’m a complete player, of course everyone sees the pass rushing but I can drop back in coverage. I showed at the Florida camp that I’m versatile, I can move around and get the ball when I need to, I had like 3 or 4 picks at Florida for the 7on7 camps. I can play the run, I’m an all-around player.”
Like a good team player, Artis also made sure to give his teammates props. He seemed genuinely excited when discussing the playmakers around him.
“Man, we have so many weapons. Our QB Kaylan Wiggins is just an athelete, he’s elusive, he can move, at the next level he can play anywhere, safety, wide receiver, but he’s also an awesome quarterback. He’s just an awesome person, a cool guy, and I love being around him. Our running back, DJ Hampton, is electric. He’s one of the best running backs I’ve ever seen. We also have Gabe Davis at WR, he’s gonna go up and get the ball if you put in anywhere in his vicinity. I’ve seen him do a lot of the things that they claim the five star guys do. Plus, he’s aggressive, he can block, he’s big, I mean that boy’s huge, I can see him as a tight end at the next level.” opined the team captain.
“On defense, we have Marcus Byrd at linebacker, man, that boy is nasty. He’s short but he doesn’t play short in games, if he gets you in the hole, he’s gonna lay you down. I can see him transitioning to strong safety in college. Steele Conlin, he’s big he can move, he is actually at offensive tackle right now, but he should be coming back to the defensive side of the ball, he can play all over the defensive line, he’s strong he fills the hole, and if it’s on the goal line you know he’s gonna get back there,” Artis said.
When asked which games he has circled on his calendar, he avoided the banal “one game at a time” type response and cut straight to the point.
“The games on the schedule I’m really looking forward to is Lake Mary and Lake Brantley. Lake Mary is our cross town rival and I just can’t stand them. There’s no other way to describe it,” offered Artis. “With Lake Brantley, it’s been crazy, we beat them by a point (in 2014), last year they beat us by a point, so I’m looking forward to that game, because they’re always electrifying. We want to beat everyone of course, but there is no one I’m looking forward to beating more than Lake Mary and Lake Brantley.”
Artis’s highlight film is a collection of brutal physics lessons on high speed impacts. While he is a violent demolitionist on the field, he is a joy to talk with outside of that realm. We asked him where his hardnosed playing style originates.
“You just gotta have that dog in you, that’s what my dad always told me.” responded Artis
Artis’s father, Maurice “Blue” Artis, coached his son in Pop Warner ball and helped mold him into the young man and player he is today. Unfortunately, the elder Artis passed away in 2013, when his son was only 14-years old. In a candid moment, the son spoke of his father’s lessons on carrying himself on and off the field.
“(He told me) when you talk to people (off the field), be polite and act like you got some sense, but when you get on the field you have to have that dog in you. So when I’m on the field I’m just a whole different animal. I handle my business, this is my job, so when I step on the field that’s my mentality, I gotta get paid,” remarked Artis.
Artis also spoke on the impact of losing his father at fourteen-years of age.
“Honestly, I don’t know how to explain it but sometimes I feel it turned me into the monster (football player) I am today. I miss him at times, it’s sad he isn’t around to see me do what I’m doing, but (death) is part of life. Maybe God did it for a reason. Maybe he did it to bring out the best in me, to make me realize what I can do,” Artis reflected pensively.
While it is tough for a young man to process such a loss, Artis has remained focused on his goals. He is on the verge of graduating high school and attending college on a football scholarship. While his father isn’t here in the physical, it is apparent that his lessons and spirit drive his son to this day.
In college Artis said he’s leaning towards a business degree, but like most 17-year-olds, he isn’t completely sure at this stage. While he isn’t sure what he will major in, he is sure where he will play football, the University of Central Florida. While on campus for an unofficial visit, Artis pulled the trigger and committed to the Knights on June 21st.
Artis’s commitment came as a bit of a surprise. Only a few days earlier, Artis told FlaVarsity.com that he planned to take all five of his official visits. He was also fresh off an impressive 7-on-7 performance in front of the FSU staff on June 18th, where he recorded 3 interceptions, including a pick six. Recent reports from Rivals.com have indicated that both Florida and Florida State are very high on his physical style and upside.
When asked about his decision to commit to UCF, Artis responded, “I just love it there, the staff, the environment, the school, it just feels like home.”
What will happen in the future is unclear, but right now, it seems that Artis is firmly committed to UCF. We do however, expect Artis’s recruitment to garner more offers as the cycle moves toward National Signing Day.
