Coming off their second district championship in three seasons, with an average of nine wins per year over that span, the Wylie Bulldogs have reestablished the expectation level set under former coach Hugh Sandifer, who led the WHS to 24 consecutive playoff seasons from 1994 to 2017 with 14 district championships in that stretch.
After a rocky start to their time as a Class 5A program, which saw them go 10-28 from 2018 to 2021, the Bulldogs are back under coach Clay Martin to expecting success perennially regardless of graduation losses and roster turnover.
So while some might take note of the 44 lettermen lost from last year’s 9-2 team or the fact that Wylie returns just five offensive and two defensive starters, the Bulldogs themselves are focused on competing once again at the top of District 2-5A Division II and making a playoff run after.
As a three-star recruit who has already committed to play Division I football at the University of Texas-El Paso, Dycin Davis has a big future ahead of him.
STEPHENVILLE — For decades, the Stephenville football program has been known as a quarterback factory that can consistently be counted on to score with the best 4A teams in Texas. 
BROWNWOOD — Where the Brownwood Lions finish in 2025 will be dependent on how well a host of new faces perform under new coach Jeryl Brixey and how quickly he can get that talent to jell under a new system. 
Few players at the Class 4A Division I level are leaned on more heavily than Big Spring’s Jacobi Lozano.
GLEN ROSE — In nine years as the head coach of the Glen Rose Tigers, Cliff Watkins has taken nine straight district titles. In his 11-year overall career (including two years at Eastland), he has never had a losing season and has won nine games or more nine times. 
In the two seasons he’s been on varsity, Mineral Wells defensive end Trent Yowell has been named his district’s Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year.
From the outside looking in, Graham’s decision to move Jace Gill from receiver to quarterback to replace multi-year standout Ty Thompson might look like a red flag. 
BROCK — With only seven of 22 starters back from a year ago, one’s first inclination may be to say that the Brock Eagles will be taking a step back from last year’s 13-2 squad. 
SNYDER — With slim numbers, low experience and a new coach from out of state who only had three months to prepare, the Snyder Tigers slipped to 1-9 in 2024. And few who follow Big Country football were surprised, given the scenario. 
SWEETWATER — Coming off a season filled with injuries, the Sweetwater Mustangs and new head coach Brian Hodnett have their fingers crossed that they can avoid the medical tent in 2025. 
TUSCOLA — There are reasons to believe the Jim Ned Indians could produce a quality team in 2025, with six offensive and seven defensive starters back among 23 lettermen from last year’s 9-4 club.
COMANCHE— After a three-year run that saw Comanche post a 25-11 overall record with three straight playoff berths, the Indians may have to take some time to rebuild in 2025. 
By his own admission — and that of Clyde coach Johnathon Haddock — Devan Wright was more of an athlete playing quarterback than a polished signal caller last year as a sophomore.
BRECKENRIDGE — There is good news and bad news in the Breckenridge camp heading into the 2025 season. 
TOLAR — With only four starters returning on both sides of the ball among just 14 lettermen, the Tolar Rattlers will have a number of key questions to answer heading into the 2025 season. 
EASTLAND — The screaming, the yelling, the rock music and the dropping of plates coming from the Eastland weightroom can be heard all the way out in the parking lot of EHS’ Marshall Gymnasium. The racket marks the arrival of first-year coach Matt Landers, a 38-year-old who is so steeped in old-school football, that one gets the feeling that he may have been more comfortable coaching in 1955 than 2025. 
EASTLAND — After more than a decade of spreading the field and throwing the football (and one year of wing-T), the Eastland Mavericks are about to go prehistoric under new coach Matt Landers. 
EARLY — After laboring through a 1-9 season with an extremely young team, the Early Longhorns are hoping to gain traction in 2025 through increases in experience and maturity. And while they are still on the youthful side, it appears likely that the ‘Horns will take a step forward under new coach Marvin Wilson. 
Control what we can control.
Heading into the 2024 season, Wall coach Craig Slaughter knew he had something special at the quarterback position. But because then-junior Landon York had yet to take a varsity snap, he had to temper his enthusiasm in preseason interviews.
MERKEL — Second-year coach Wes Wood led his Badgers through an 0-10 season a year ago after inheriting a schedule that was so difficult, it bordered on ridiculous. 
At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Coahoma senior Landon Wells would be a matchup problem without outstanding athleticism. 
SAN SABA — After a great run of success that saw San Saba post a 35-5 record from 2018 through 2020, the Armadillos fell victim to the numbers game over the next three seasons, falling to 11-20 overall. 
Hico, Texas is a special place. 
