by Daniel Youngblood

BIG SPRING FEATURE: Young Steers defense will lean on talented junior Gomez in 2024

Marked by youth on both sides of the football, the Big Spring Steers won’t return much production in 2024. Junior linebacker RJ Gomez is the exception.

Seeing time at both inside linebacker to defensive end a year ago, Gomez broke out as a sophomore, emerging as a true playmaker for the Big Spring defense.

Now making the move back to middle linebacker in the Steers’ new 3-3 stack alignment, the junior will need to be a leader on and off the field if coach Cannon McWilliams’ young squad hopes to accomplish its goals this fall.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 BIG SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Young Steers taking a positive approach despite lack of experience

On paper, it might appear that the Big Spring football team is in for a rebuilding year in 2024. The Steers return just four starters on both sides of the football and must replace almost all of their offensive production from last year’s 2-9 team.

But despite those factors and the challenges they would seem to present, coach Cannon McWilliams enters his sixth season as the BSHS head coach excited about the season ahead.

What the Steers lack in experience, he said, they make up for with a desire to compete and grow. And with so many spots up for grabs and players eager to seize them, McWilliams is choosing to view this as a season of opportunity for a still-building program.

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by Evan Ren

GLEN ROSE FEATURE: Glen Rose quarterback hopes to emerge further ahead then where he left off in 2023

Action photos provided by Jay Hinton Photography

GLEN ROSE — In 2023, Glen Rose quarterback Canyon Evans pieced together an eye-popping season, hitting 305 of 485 passes for 4,577 yards and 49 touchdowns. 

Canyon Evans

In the process, he helped the Tigers to a 10-5 record (after a 1-4 start), a District 4-4A DII championship, a Region I-4A DII title and a trip to the state semifinals.

He did, however, have a few things to work on — namely a season interception count of 21 and a notable lack of footspeed that limited the Tigers’ options. 

None of this was lost on Evans, a 17-year-old senior who has spent a considerable amount of offseason time working on both issues. And in the view of the Glen Rose staff, he’s nearly got both of them conquered.  

“I’m a pocket passer at heart and that’s what I love to do,” Evans said. “But if I can run — and I worked on it during the offseason — maybe we can incorporate that into the game.” 

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by Evan Ren

2024 GLEN ROSE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Tigers loaded in 2024

 

GLEN ROSE — After pushing all the way to the Class 4A DII state semifinals for two straight years, the Glen Rose Tigers and coach Cliff Watkins have set a high standard for themselves. 

The good news for the Tigers is that they may have the weapons to meet, or even surpass their recent efforts, which has seen their seasons ended by eventual state champions (Carthage and Gilmer) in back-to-back state semis.

Can they get there in 2024? The numbers would suggest a solid opportunity, with nine offensive and six defensive starters back among 27 lettermen. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

MINERAL WELLS FEATURE: Senior QB Gadd a willing leader for Mineral Wells

As a first-year varsity starter in a brand new offense last season, Mineral Wells quarterback Owen Gadd experienced a learning curve and went through some growing pains. But he showed enough as a junior to emerge as the undisputed leader of the Rams offense.

Now a grizzled vet with a full year of starts and a successful 7-on-7 season under his belt, the senior signal caller is ready to lead MWHS back to the playoffs in 2024.

Gadd, one of just four returning starters for the Mineral Wells offense, will have to guide a young group along if he hopes to achieve that. But second year Rams coach Chad Worrell said no player is more suited for that task.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 MINERAL WELLS FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Rams aim to take step forward in Worrell’s second year

In 2023, a late arrival to Mineral Wells had coach Cody Worrell and the new members of his staff scrambling to get a group of players they weren’t particularly familiar with moving in the same direction.

The result was a promising but ultimately losing campaign that saw the Rams finish 4-6 and miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

This year, with a full offseason under their belt and a better understanding of both the schemes and expectations within the program, the Mineral Wells coaches and players are hoping for a more successful run in Worrell’s second season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GRAHAM FEATURE: QB Thompson, RB Monsey ready to lead explosive Steers offense

When you look across the state, few schools can boast the experience the Graham Steers will return in 2024. That’s especially true in the backfield, where quarterback Ty Thompson and running back Rylan Monsey have been frustrating defenses for years.

Thompson, in his fourth year as the Steers’ starting signal caller, and Monsey, a three-year starter at tailback, have been stalwarts for a Graham program that will feature 26 seniors this fall.

And coming off a 10-2 season in which they averaged almost 47 points per game, the Steers will be leaning on that duo to achieve some pretty lofty goals this season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 GRAHAM FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Senior-loaded Steers have ‘sky-high’ expectations

Longtime Graham defensive coordinator Clay McChristian couldn’t have asked for a better time to take over as the Steers’ head football coach.

His first year in that role, which came open when Kenny Davidson retired over the offseason as the winningest coach in Graham history, will see him lead one of Class 4A’s most experienced teams off a 10-win campaign in 2023.

With 26 seniors on his 39-player roster and call-ups from a 10-0 junior varsity team providing depth around them, the Steers are positioned as well as anyone in the Big Country Preps coverage area to make a deep playoff run this fall. And McChristian, who has been part of the GHS program since 2009, isn’t shying away from the expectations that accompany that reality.

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by Evan Ren

BROCK FEATURE: Eagles excited about jump to Class 4A

BROCK — Since beginning their football program in 2012, the Brock Eagles have posted a 138-24 overall record. This includes a 41-9 mark in the playoffs, a Class 3A DI state title in 2015, and 3A DI state title game appearances in 2017, 2021 and 2022. 

The numbers don’t end there.

The Eagles are currently on a 10-year streak of double-digit wins, during which time they’ve taken eight district championships. Their lowest season victory total in that span: 11.

So needless to say, when word came down on Snapshot Day back in October that Brock had turned in an enrollment figure of 629 to push the Eagles up to Class 4A DII, nobody in 3A shed a tear. On the contrary, those in 3A DI who had been on the receiving end of one loss to Brock after another, were about to get some welcomed relief. 

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by Evan Ren

2024 BROCK FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Eagles to reload again, threaten for 3-4A DII championship

BROCK — Don’t draw early conclusions about the Brock football team having only four offensive and two defensive starters back from a year ago. 

Don’t start whispering the word “rebuilding” when you hear that the Eagles have just 14 returning lettermen.  And don’t tell yourselves that five players lost to the college ranks is too much talent to replace, or that a jump to Class 4A will be Brock’s Waterloo. 

The Eagles, whether you’re in the camp of love, hate or indifference, are going to field another big-time product in 2024. 

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by Evan Ren

SNYDER FEATURE: Gonzales adds a taste of New Mexico while rebuilding Snyder

SNYDER — Texas is notoriously difficult for out-of-state coaches to find head coaching jobs, and Lovington, New Mexico’s Anthony Gonzales knew it.  

Call it a respect thing. 

Texans generally believe (and with some validity) that their high school football is the best in the country. They think their players are the best, their fan support is the best and it only stands to reason that their coaching is the best as well. So why give some upstart from out of state a shot at a Texas job?

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by Evan Ren

2024 SNYDER FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Gonzales takes over with mission to right the Snyder ship

 

SNYDER —After an eight-year stint as the head football coach in Lovington, N.M., Anthony Gonzales arrives at Snyder with a major rebuilding task in front of him. 

With only five starters back on both sides of the football among only eight returning lettermen from a 3-7 team, Gonzales is tasked with setting a foundation and reestablishing a winning culture at a program that lost 24 lettermen to graduation. 

On the plus side for Snyder, 2024 presents a solid opportunity for Gonzales to start virtually from scratch. And he has no shortage of enthusiasm while approaching the task. 

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by Evan Ren

SWEETWATER FEATURE: Moore spearheads Lucas’ first fourth-year players list with Mustangs

Korda Moore
Korda Moore

SWEETWATER — If there is one player on the Sweetwater football roster who may best exemplify the long-term growth of coach Russell Lucas’ program, it may very well be senior running back-linebacker Korda Moore. 

Moore, who now enters his fourth varsity season, has been through every high and every low of Lucas’ tenure, from the 8-4 in 2021, to the freshman-heavy 1-9 a year later, to last season’s 7-5 mark. 

Moore has been in the center of all of it. 

“When (Lucas) first got here, everyone was shaky and nervous about it because we had a new coach and a whole new coaching staff,” Moore said. “But once we started to trust what he was saying the program started to change.” 

And with Sweetwater expected to be one of the top Class 3A teams in the Big Country this year, Moore begins his final season at SHS as one of the area’s top athletes in Lucas’ first group of fourth-year players.

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by Evan Ren

2024 SWEETWATER FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Mustangs are bigger, faster and more numerous, despite drop to 3A DI

 

SWEETWATER — There’s plenty of good news in the Sweetwater camp heading into the 2024 season, not the least of which are the nine returning starters on both sides of the ball from last year’s 7-5 playoff team. 

Add the fact that starting quarterback Caiden Ortiz is among 23 returning lettermen and that the Mustangs are considerably larger than they’ve been in recent memory and you’ll begin to see why there is a growing optimism at the Mustang Bowl. 

A little more? OK.

Now consider that Sweetwater has nearly all of its defense back after dropping from Class 4A DII to 3A DI during the offseason and it’s difficult to not to be curious about this team’s potential.

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by Evan Ren

JIM NED FEATURE: Wishert to lead Indians up front, both ways

TUSCOLA — There are at least two keys for teammates and media to get along with Jim Ned senior lineman Xaden Wishert. 

First, show up ready to work. And secondly, don’t confuse him with his older brother, Xavier (now playing at ACU), who starred as a running back-linebacker during Jim Ned’s state title run in 2021.

Xaden, who gets along fine with his sibling, is a different person, playing a completely different set of positions. So comparing the two really isn’t fair to either one of them. 

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by Evan Ren

2024 JIM NED FOOTBALL PREVIEW: McClure’s Indians to build around large group of returning lettermen

 

TUSCOLA — The Johnathon McClure era begins at Jim Ned with respectable numbers. 

Back from last year’s 8-3 team are five offensive and seven defensive starters among 21 lettermen, with impact players on both sides of the ball. 

The timing of this couldn’t be better from the Jim Ned perspective, given that its traditionally tough district (3-3A DI) got even more difficult following this year’s realignment with the addition of very good teams from Comanche and Sweetwater. 

“If you go team-by-team, I could talk at length about each of them,” said McClure about the opposition facing the Indians in district play. “Obviously Sweetwater is an easy one to talk about right now with good reason. But I don’t think there’s enough talk about Comanche. They’re a dangerous crew.” 

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by Evan Ren

COMANCHE FEATURE: Five-senior offensive line to be focal point for Indians in 2024

COMANCHE — In a year that will see Comanche have to replace most of its skill personnel, the Indians may have one saving grace that catapults them into the playoffs yet again: a large, experienced offensive line. 

Yet “experienced” might be an understatement. 

In fact, Comanche’s offensive front is stocked with five seniors — Christian Anaya (5-11, 238), Ethan Dease (5-11, 230), Miles Hatch (5-8, 230), Camilo Sanchez (5-10, 273) and Christian “The Badger” Sanchez (5-10, 195). 

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by Evan Ren

2024 COMANCHE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Despite big personnel losses, Indians will contend with influx of young talent

COMANCHE — Big plusses, big minuses and they’re all over the 2024 map for the Comanche Indians who are wondering which factors will have the biggest impact. 

To begin with, several key players have graduated from CHS, including standouts Ayden Fishback (TE/DE), Dalton Salinas (OL/DL), Diego Gutierrez (WR/DB), Kyler Beaty (DB/WR) and Layden Welch QB/LB). And to make matters worse, All-Big Country Preps running back Sawyer Wilkerson has moved on to Stephenville.  

The Indians, do, however, have possible compensation with 20 returning lettermen. They will also be supplementing their varsity roster with promotions from an excellent 9-1 JV team. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

CLYDE FEATURE: Large, experienced O-line out to impose will in Haddock’s first season

Having served as co-offensive coordinator at Abilene Cooper and head coach at Plainview, Johnathon Haddock has spent the bulk of his coaching career at the large school level. So when he talks about the size, experience and skill level of the offensive line he’s inheriting at Clyde, that’s his frame of reference.

With four starters back who boast an average height of 6-1¾ and average weight of 260 pounds, the Bulldogs front will rival any in the Big Country in 2024.

And Haddock, who left Class 5A Plainview in June to take the Clyde job, cited that group as one of the biggest selling points for the move.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 CLYDE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Haddock looks to build on foundation Dudgeon laid

In 2023, the Clyde football team enjoyed its best season in a decade and a half, riding one of the Big Country’s most explosive offenses to a shared district championship and an 11-2 record.

This year, the Bulldogs will try to build on that success with some new faces in some very prominent positions.

Gone are coach Danny Dudgeon, who left to take over the Godley program in May, and standout quarterback Blake Carr, who earned a scholarship at Division II Pittsburg State with an outstanding senior year. But taking over at CHS is a friend and former colleague of Dudgeon in Johnathon Haddock, who feels good about the group he’s inheriting despite returning just 14 of 34 lettermen from last year’s squad.

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by Evan Ren

BRECKENRIDGE FEATURE: Top utility man has just seen his role expand

BRECKENRIDGE — If Breckenridge senior utility man Sawyer Wimberley finds time to catch his breath in 2024, he may consider himself fortunate. 

Already one of the most versatile players in the Big Country, Wimberley established himself as an effective running back-receiver and a solid place kicker last year. 

This season, however, not only will he be getting more touches as the primary weapon in the Breckenridge offense, but he will also expand his game to the defensive side, where he is expected to start at cornerback. 

“I definitely think it’s going to be fun,” the 17-year-old said. “I haven’t played defensively since the eighth grade so it’s going to be an experience that I’m not used to.” 

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by Evan Ren

2024 BRECKENRIDGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Young Bucks will rely on speed, size while learning the ropes


 

BRECKENRIDGE — However far the Breckenridge Buckaroos make it in 2024, a large group of juniors and sophomores will have a huge influence on the outcome. 

That’s not necessarily a negative. 

“We need to find out early what we can do best,” fifth-year coach Casey Pearce said. “In the past we’ve been able to throw the perimeter screen game and get people into space. 

“Whether that will be our M.O. this year, I don’t know yet.” 

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by Evan Ren

TOLAR FEATURE: Mouser hopes to keep Rattlers in stride

TOLAR — First-year Tolar head football coach Blake Mouser has just been handed the keys to a Ferrari. 

Chosen to replace former coach Jeremy Mullins, who took the job at Saginaw Eagle Mountain over the offseason, Mouser inherits a program coming off the best three-year stretch in its history — one which has seen the Rattlers post a combined 37-6 record, culminating in a trip to last year’s Class 2A DI state title game.

Mouser, with his first-ever head-coaching position, has been tasked with the job of keeping the Tolar ship righted, and he has the resumé to do it. 

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by Evan Ren

2024 TOLAR FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Rattlers to remain a regional threat despite jump to Class 3A DI

TOLAR — After consecutive seasons of 10-3, 13-1 and 14-2, including a trip to last year’s Class 2A DI state title game, the Tolar Rattlers may have the tools to remain an area power, despite a move to up to Class 3A DII.

That’s one of the reasons new coach Blake Mouser found Tolar so appealing. The numbers, talent and attitude at THS all remain at high levels heading into the 2024 campaign, giving Mouser a leg up in his first-ever head coaching job. 

 Aside from seven starters on both sides of the ball coming back, Tolar has 18 lettermen and help on the way from a 7-3 JV team.  But more importantly, the Rattlers have several key players back who were responsible for last year’s run through the 2A DI playoff bracket. 

The man in charge of keeping the ship righted: First-year head coach Brett Mouser, the former offensive coordinator at Austin Vandegrift, where he helped the Vipers to 106 wins in an 11-year span. 

“I went through the roster and saw they had a lot of kids coming back,” said Mouser of the time he spent studying Tolar as a possible destination. “For a first-time head coach, that’s not bad, having a bunch of kids back from a state finalist team. 

“There’s a lot of good players back and a good amount of three-year starters too.”  

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by Evan Ren

EASTLAND FEATURE: Traditionally High-flying Mavs switching to old-fashioned wing-T

EASTLAND — Every year since 2008, the Eastland Mavericks have been associated with throwing the football and finding people in space. And more often than not, at a quick tempo. 

Current Springtown coach Brian Hulett started the trend in his first year at Eastland 16 years ago. The tradition continued after Hulett’s departure under Cliff Watkins (2014-15), James Morton (2016-22) and into last season with Bobby Schuman. This stretch included 14 playoff appearances and five district titles so there wasn’t a great deal of pressure to change things up. 

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by Evan Ren

2024 EASTLAND FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Mavs have ample experience heading into Schuman’s second year

EASTLAND — Second-year coach Bobby Schuman will be taking traditionally pass-happy Eastland in an entirely different direction in 2024, switching the Mavericks from a modern spread attack to an old-fashioned wing-T. 

Eastland will have five offensive and six defensive starters returning to make it go, including seniors Cason Browning (RB, 6-0, 180), Cayden Alford (switching to RB, 5-11, 200), Eddie Medina (5-11, 175) and Isaac Castro (DE/RB, 5-10, 170). 

There will be additional help among 15 returning lettermen and call-ups from a solid 7-3 JV team, leaving Schuman with decent numbers to begin his commitment to an offense that dates back more than 70 years.

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by Daniel Youngblood

EARLY FEATURE: Former assistant Case honored to be handed keys to Longhorns program

Randall Case isn’t from Early, but he considers it his home. And as a member of the EHS football staff since 2016, he views his new post as the Longhorns head football coach as the greatest honor of his career so far.

Having been part of a program turnaround under Blake Sandford and Daniel Price, Case takes great pride in what he’s accomplished at Early to date.

And now that he’s been entrusted with the keys to the program, he can’t wait to continue building on a foundation that he helped lay.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 EARLY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Youthful Longhorns aim to extend program’s playoff streak

As an Early assistant since 2016, Randall Case helped the Longhorns end an 11-year playoff drought in 2020 and build a winning tradition with three additional postseason berths since.

Now the school’s head coach after replacing Daniel Price, who left in April to become the offensive coordinator at Palestine, Case is tasked with sustaining that momentum from a new and larger role.

Inheriting a program that returns just eight of 26 lettermen from last year’s 6-6 team, the new Early mentor will have his work cut out for him in that endeavor. But if you think he or his young squad are ready cede the ground gained the past four years, you would be sorely mistaken.

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by Evan Ren

DUBLIN FEATURE: Experienced Gaitan returns under center for the Lions

DUBLIN —Kaden Gaitan likes to have the ball in his hands.

That’s why the senior is Dublin’s point guard in basketball and a pitcher on the baseball team.

But before those sports get underway, Gaitan will be the Lions’ quarterback for a third straight year as Dublin looks to bounce back from a 1-9 record last fall.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

2024 DUBLIN FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Lions banking on trench experience

Dublin coach Greg Hardcastle believes his Lions have something to prove this season.

After only winning three games over the past two years, Hardcastle knows Dublin won’t be appearing in any state rankings or at the top of district prediction lists.  
But Hardcastle is only worried about what the Lions can control.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BRADY FEATURE: Athletic junior Reed ready to make his mark for Bulldogs in 2024

At 6-feet tall and 265-pounds, Brady junior DeMarcus Reed is built like a typical high school lineman. But make no mistake, this multi-sport standout is a dynamic athlete.

Also an all-district performer on the basketball court, a starting first baseman on the baseball field and an accomplished thrower in track and field, Reed brings a combination of skill, coordination and agility not often seen in players his size.

Those qualities, which he combines with strength more typical of those in the trenches, allowed Reed to excel as a two-way lineman last season as a sophomore. And coming off that campaign, which earned him first-team all-district honors on both sides of the ball, the talented junior has even bigger things planned for 2024.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 BRADY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Experienced Bulldogs squad expecting big step forward

The 2023 season was a learning experience for the Brady football team and first-year head coach Jaron Roberts, which saw a young roster that graduated more lettermen than it returned struggled at times to a 3-8 record.

With the bulk of that talent back this season and an increased comfort level between Roberts and his players, the Bulldogs are expecting bigger things this fall.

Brady graduated just six of its 28 lettermen from last year’s team and brings back a combined 18 starters between its offense and defense. And with the work put in last year to lay the foundation for his program, Roberts feels his team is lightyears ahead of where it was this time a year ago.

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by Daniel Youngblood

WALL FEATURE: Slaughter leaning on past experience in Hawks’ transition to ‘modified spread’

Fifteen years ago, Craig Slaughter was hired as Sweetwater’s head football coach, in part, to help transition the Mustangs from an old-school wishbone option attack to a more contemporary offensive scheme.

Fast forward to the present, and he’ll soon be tackling a similar challenge at Wall.

In replacing his former boss Houston Guy, who resigned over the offseason after a hyper-successful 17-year tenure as head coach, Slaughter will be tasked with moving the Hawks from a flexbone look to a more modern and balanced attack. And as he prepares to install what he’s calling “a modified spread,” he feels his past experiences will do nothing but help him in that undertaking.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 WALL FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Slaughter aims to keep Hawks on championship trajectory

After turning to defensive coordinator Craig Slaughter to replace Houston Guy as its head coach, the Wall football program will be undergoing some major changes in 2024.

Chief among those is a shift in offensive philosophy from a flexbone option attack to a pro spread look that Slaughter insists will be balanced run to pass.

But while the Hawks’ mode of operation may be changing this fall, their expectations won’t be. With 24 lettermen back, including five offensive and seven defensive starters from last year’s 11-3 squad, the WHS coaches and players expect the program to maintain the same level of success it enjoyed under Guy, who resigned after 17 years as the Wall head coach with a 167-49 record.

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by Evan Ren

MERKEL FEATURE: Shorthanded Merkel hoping for shot in the arm from three key move-ins

Wes Wood

MERKEL — Sometimes football is all about luck. This can be particularly true during the offseason, when key players quit a team or join a team.  Or when important families move away to other schools, or if they move into your district. 

Entering the 2024 season, perhaps no area program was more in need of a little offseason luck than the Merkel Badgers, 

No area team is shorter on returning help than MHS, which has just four starters back on both sides of the ball among eight returning lettermen from last year’s 6-4 club. And many of the existing vacancies will be filled by players promoted from an 0-10 JV squad. 

As luck would have it, however, the Badgers have been on the receiving end of three move-ins who are currently showing the potential to be impact players — Abilene Cooper move-in CJ Guadarrama (RB-LB), Brownwood move-in Waylon Harrington (LB) and Winters move-in Brazos Grun (OL-DL).

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by Evan Ren

2024 MERKEL FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Badgers starting from scratch under new coach

MERKEL — After a five-year tenure at Class 4A Snyder that saw him resign during the offseason with a 21-32 overall record, Wes Wood comes to Merkel with a challenging task ahead of him. 

MHS’ varsity numbers are down — way down, with only four starters back on both sides of the ball among eight returning lettermen from last year’s 6-4 team. In the meantime, call-ups from an 0-10 JV squad and a couple of transfers will be counted on to fill the vacancies. 

The Badgers are smallish, with at least three potential starters on the offensive line weighing less than 200 pounds. They are also in need of more speed, with only two sub-4.7 players listed on their preseason roster. To matters even more difficult, MHS graduated six varsity players who will be playing collegiately, leaving a sizeable talent void to fill. 

From these meager beginnings, Wood will set about installing his system, building confidence in his young team and strengthening his sub-varsity programs.  

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by Daniel Youngblood

COAHOMA FEATURE: QB Cox ready to lead Bulldogs to special season in third year as starter

Given what he’s already accomplished in two years as Coahoma’s starting quarterback, it might be difficult to imagine Boyd Cox making a significant leap in production this season as a junior.

But if you listen to coach Chris Joslin, that’s exactly what he and his Bulldogs are expecting from their talented signal caller.

After watching Cox complete 275 of 498 passes for 4,367 yards with a remarkable 49-to-14 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the past two seasons, Joslin said there’s still potential left to be tapped with his quarterback. And with the experience and knowledge Cox brings into his third high school season, the sky’s the limit for what he and his offensive teammates can accomplish in 2024.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 COAHOMA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Explosive Bulldogs expecting playoff return this fall

Last year, the Coahoma Bulldogs felt they had a good enough team to make and potentially win a game or two in the playoffs. But by season’s end, they found themselves on the wrong side of the postseason cutoff in a tough Lubbock-area district.

With 20 lettermen back and a move to a new —and likely more forgiving — league, coach Chris Joslin and his squad have every intention of starting a new playoff streak this season.

Coahoma, which has reached the postseason in four of Joslin’s six seasons on campus, graduated just two starters from an offense that averaged 39.5 points per game a year ago. If the Bulldogs can improve upon the 36.5 points they allowed per game last season — a goal they expect to achieve — they could be one of the teams to beat in a District 4-3A Division II lineup that also includes Wall, Merkel, Stanton and San Angelo Grape Creek.

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by Evan Ren

SAN SABA FEATURE: Final Lackey brother just as smallish, but just as tough as the first two

Photos provided by the San Saba Yearbook class

SAN SABA —If one were to use a cookie cutter to form a prototypical linebacker, the exterior wouldn’t resemble San Saba’s Winton Lackey.

In fact, it wouldn’t be anything close to the senior Armadillo, who stands in at only 5-foot-7 and weighs just 165 pounds. 

Lackey’s interior, however, is actually a prototype for what high school coaches are looking for: a non-stop motor, fearlessness, a nose for the football and heart.  These ingredients have been dealt to Lackey in such measure, that San Saba coach Andreas Aguirre had no hesitation in allowing him to occupy the heart of his defense.

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by Evan Ren

2024 SAN SABA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Dillos expect step forward behind solid numbers

SAN SABA — Since a highly successful run from 2018-20 that saw San Saba post a combined 35-5 record, the numbers game hasn’t been kind to the Armadillos. 

As fate would have it, San Saba has spent the last three seasons slugging through a combined 11-20 mark with either lower numbers, smaller players and/or less team experience.  And at times, it was a combination of all three. 

The year 2024, however, seems to be offering the Armadillos a solid opportunity to recapture the momentum it had only four short seasons ago. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

HICO FEATURE: Seniors Powell, Mullin provide potent 1-2 punch from Tigers backfield

For Hico’s offensive scheme to work at its best, it needs multiple backs capable of sharing the rushing load and producing at a high level.

Ideally, those ball-carriers will bring different and complementary skill sets and running styles to maximize the pressure they can put on opposing defenses.

In seniors Buck Powell and Price Mullin, the Tigers check all of those boxes.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 HICO FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Young Tigers look to continue upward trajectory in new division

In 2023, Todd Swearengin led an experienced Hico team to its best season in almost a decade in his third year on campus.

The Tigers not only matched their best win total since 2014 with an 8-4 record, they also won their first playoff game since going 8-5 that same season.

This year, Swearengin and Co. are tasked with the mission of building on that performance with a team that will be relying much more heavily on varsity newcomers. But the now-fourth-year HHS mentor is excited for the opportunity to see where his program stands and if a roster comprised of 10 returning lettermen and call-ups from a 9-1 junior varsity team can keep the Tigers moving in a positive direction.

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by Evan Ren

DE LEON FEATURE: Cooper preferring the role of utility man as Bearcats enter highly anticipated season

 

DE LEON — When asked if there was anything that junior utility man Jake Cooper wasn’t good at, De Leon head football coach Jacob Marwitz laughed out loud. 

In other words, no.

That’s not difficult to believe, considering his numbers, which saw the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder lead the team in tackling in over half of DHS’ games last year from his safety-linebacker hybrid spot. He also rushed for 972 yards and 14 scores on only 160 carries and caught 45 passes for 435 yards and two more scores. 

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by Evan Ren

2024 DE LEON FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bearcats could field their best team in more than five years

 

DE LEON — Fourth-year De Leon football coach Jacob Marwitz has taken his share of lumps while rebuilding the DHS program. 

But if the rate of improvement shown by the Bearcats is any indicator, the 2024 season could produce the best team De Leon has shown in at least six years. 

Marwitz’s teams have posted records of 0-10, 4-6 and 7-5 in succession since he inherited a 1-9 club in 2021. And the numbers have climbed right along with the success rate.

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by Daniel Youngblood

COLEMAN FEATURE: Torres’ poise, experience at quarterback has Bluecats confident in 2024

Opening the 2023 season behind senior standout Jadin Jackson, Brayden Torres wasn’t expected to get a ton of snaps for Coleman as a sophomore. But an early-season injury to Jackson opened up an opportunity for the young quarterback — and he seized it.

Torres’ efforts in relief of the multi-year starter were enough to earn him the starting job permanently, allowing the multi-talented Jackson to impact games from multiple positions upon his return. The result of that configuration was a another successful season for the Bluecats, who finished 9-3 and reached the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

An additional consequence of the decision was the full season of experience Torres gained behind center, which both he and his coach feel will springboard him on to an even more successful campaign as a junior.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 COLEMAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bluecats enter season with same high expectations

Over the past two years, the only thing separating the Coleman Bluecats from a potential run of district championships was a Tolar squad that won a combined 27 games in that span.

With the Rattlers making the move back to Class 3A Division II and off the Bluecats’ schedule, coach John Elder’s program will set its sights on the District 5-2A Division I title in 2024.

CHS, which brings back all but six of its 21 lettermen from last year’s 9-3 squad, has reason to believe that’s a reachable goal. But with all six of their 2023 graduates vacating two-way starting spots, the Bluecats will need some new faces to emerge around their core of returning playmakers to achieve it.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

BANGS FEATURE: A Buzzard is back in the Big Country

When Bangs wins its first football game of the 2024 season, it’ll mark the first victory in Colton Buzzard’s head coaching career.

He won’t have to look very far to celebrate with family, either.

That’s because Colton enticed his father Rusty Buzzard out of retirement, hiring the former Coleman head coach to be his offensive coordinator.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

2024 BANGS FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Dragons switching to wing-T under new coach

BANGS — Bangs will have its third head coach in the past three seasons, but that’s not the only thing new with the Dragons.

First-year head coach Colton Buzzard is bringing the Wing-T to Bangs as it looks to bounce back from a two-win season a year ago.

“We’re going to run more of a smashmouth, heavy-run type of offense,” said Buzzard, who was coaching defense at Gregory-Portland before landing his first head job. “It’s basically learning a whole new language, but they’ve been doing a good job.”

Buzzard played in the Wing-T offense growing up for his dad at Coleman, and he’d decided that when he became a head coach, that’s the offense he wanted his program to operate from.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

BALLINGER FEATURE: Hernandez to lead strong Ballinger linebacker corps

BALLINGER — Jaylen Hernandez can feel the different mindset surrounding Ballinger’s team this year.

The strongside linebacker is one of several seniors leading the charge as the Bearcats get ready for life as a Class 2A program.

“I think we have a pretty big opportunity this year and have been working really hard,” Hernandez said. “We have a different mindset, and we have a chance to show people what we can really do.”

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by Evan Ren

2024 BALLINGER FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bearcats to improve in 2024, but can they make the playoffs?

Times were tough for Ballinger on the football field last season.

A Murderer’s Row of non-district opponents kept the Bearcats from gaining much traction. It didn’t help that Ballinger was relatively young, either.

But throughout a winless season, coach Ty Lang saw bright spots.

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