2024 Texas Tough Football Preview

ABOUT THE COVER

The Texas Tough 2024 football section cover was designed by KDH Media Group and features file photos of key returning players from Chaparral, Copperas Cove, Ellison, Harker Heights, Killeen and Shoemaker high schools.

InsIde thIs Issue

Copperas Cove Bulldawgs preview Page 4

Harker Heights Knights preview Page 6

Killeen Kangaroos preview Page 8

Shoemaker Grey Wolves preview Page 10

Chaparral Bobcats preview Page 12

Ellison Eagles preview Page 14

Killeen ISD team schedule Page 15

Lampasas Badgers preview Page 18

Gatesville Hornets preview Page 20

Salado Eagles preview Page 22

Florence Buffaloes preview Page 23

Belton Broncos preview Page 26 Temple Wildcats preview Page 28 Texas Longhorns preview Page 32 Texas A&M Aggies preview Page 33 Baylor Bears preview Page 34 Houston Cougars preview Page 35 TCU Horned Frogs preview Page 36 Texas Tech Red Raider preview Page 37

Cove Bulldawgs hope young defense can catch up to loaded, veteran offense

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

Like all head coaches, Tony Johnson has concerns about his team. A lack of offensive talent, however, is not one of them.

Since arriving at Copperas Cove in 2022, the goal has been to resurrect the former area powerhouse program to its previous glory, when playoff appearances and competing for district championships were the norm.

But in the seasons following the abrupt departure of Jack Welch, who oversaw the Bulldawgs for more than two decades and reached the state championship game twice, success has been elusive.

During the previous five seasons, Copperas Cove produced a combined nine wins under three head coaches, including a 4-16 showing in Johnson’s first two campaigns.

While there is still plenty of work to do en route to reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2018, entering his third season, Johnson is confident his team will reach the end zone regularly.

“Offensively,” he said, “we’ve got some really nice weapons. In my mind, we have one of the top quarterbacks that nobody really knows about because he was primarily on junior varsity last year, when he had every chance to be the starting varsity quarterback.

“Then, we’ve got two really elite receivers, and we return our all-district running back and four of our five starters on the offensive line. So, we’ve got a nucleus that, if it stays healthy, can be really good.”

Anthony King, a junior, takes over for graduated Micah Casson under center, and he will undoubtedly

COPPERAS COVE BULLDAWGS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 2-8

2022: 2-8

2021: 1-9

2020: 1-9

2019: 3-7

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 Ellison 7:30

Sept. 6 Leander Glenn 7:30

Sept. 13 at Georgetown 7:00

Sept. 20 at Del Valle 7:30

DISTRICT 12-6A

Sept. 27 Killeen 7:30

Oct. 4 at Bryan 7:30

Oct. 18 Harker Heights 7:30

Oct. 25 at Shoemaker (S) 7:30

Nov. 1 Temple 7:30

Nov. 7 at Waco Midway 7:00 (S)-Searles Stadium

immediately utilize the team’s two 6-foot, 5-inch targets in Wake Forest commit Trishtin Glass and Arthur Miller, who combined for 1,166 yards and 14 touchdowns receiving last year.

Additionally, senior running back Malik Cuthbert looks to build on his showing of 923 total yards and eight total touchdowns.

Complementing the quartet will be returning 12-6A All-District selections Mike Dennis, a junior fullback, and guards Marcus Uini, a junior, and senior Don Ramos.

The Bulldawgs also possess a pair of relatively unknown commodities in running back K.J. Zeigler and cousin Matt Zeigler, who is a receiver. Each was key in helping Copperas Cove’s freshman team finish with just one loss last year.

Considering the core, producing

Copperas Cove’s Trishstin Glass (2) returns a Manor put to the 11-yard line at Bulldawg Stadium on Sept. 8, 2023.

points might not be a problem for the Bulldawgs, but stopping the opposition could be.

Copperas Cove is largely inexperienced defensively with tackle Rion Childers, safety Teagan Facison and cornerback James Marshall, who are all seniors, serving as the unit’s most decorated players.

Nevertheless, Johnson sees potential.

“We’re young on defense,” he said, “and that is scary. We’re having to play some kids both ways to fill the gaps. We’re going to have to do some patchwork there, but I know they are probably the best-coached group on our team, and I hate to say that because I help coach the offense. “So, I know they will get the puzzle

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COVE

to fit together.”

The Bulldawgs have not won consecutive games since closing out the 2018 regular-season schedule with three straight wins, but the opportunity awaits, especially early on.

Copperas Cove opens with a pair of home contests against Ellison and Leander Glenn, which each went 2-8 last year, before traveling to Georgetown (6-5) and Del Valle (1-9).

If all goes according to plan, the Bulldawgs will enter their district opener versus visiting Killeen in Week 5 with some momentum.

“This schedule should let us know right away what kind of a team we are going to have,” Johnson said.

“Your nondistrict schedule has to set you up for your district schedule, and it can be risky if you play some tough opponents and pick up some injuries or something like that.

“We have a great chance to have a great start to the year and bring in a lot of energy to the program.”

Copperas Cove’s Arthur Miller (6) stretches for yardage in the red zone as he is tackled by Georgetown’s Mason Goggans in Georgetown on Aug. 25, 2023.

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harker heights primed for run at third consecutive district championship

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

Last year, Harker Heights produced its fourth consecutive season with at least seven victories, captured its second consecutive District 12-6A championship and made its fifth straight playoff appearance.

And the Knights were not even fully prepared.

After spending a decade under the guidance of head coach Jerry Edwards, Harker Heights transitioned into a new era in 2023, when Mark Humble inherited the program, and he immediately began working toward transforming the team into his vision of success.

The process, however, takes time, and over the course of the successful season, Humble installed his philosophies, principles and fundamental theories, shaping the Knights’ collective consciousness, and the approach yielded immediate results.

One year after the coaching turnover, expectations are high for Harker Heights to produce another strong showing, and Humble believes his team is ready to deliver.

“Last year at this point,” he said, “everything was so new and fresh for the coaching staff and for the kids. There is a lot more comfort now because everybody knows the routines, standards and expectations. We are just more prepared going into the start of the season.

“Everything was new when it came to our weekly routine for a game, and now, everybody is familiar with it. So, it is really comforting to know we are a little bit ahead of the curve compared to last year.”

Following a 2-3 start to the season punctuated by a 52-14 defeat against

HARKER HEIGHTS KNIGHTS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 7-4

2022: 12-2

2021: 9-2

2020: 7-4

2019: 4-7

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 Cedar Park (S) 7:30

Sept. 5 Manor (B) 7:00

Sept. 13 Dripping Springs (B) 7:30

Sept. 20 at Midlothian 7:00

DISTRICT 12-6A

Sept. 27 Waco Midway (B) 7:30

Oct. 4 at Killeen 7:30

Oct. 11 Bryan (B) 7:30

Oct. 18 at Copperas Cove 7:30

Nov. 1 Shoemaker (B) 7:30

Nov. 7 at Temple 7:30 (B)-Buckley Stadium (S)-Searles Stadium

visiting Pflugerville Weiss in the District 12-6A opener, the Knights found their stride, winning their next five games before encountering eventual state champion DeSoto in the first round of the playoffs.

Despite the disappointing ending, the experience could prove beneficial for the large group of players returning to the roster highlighted by a dozen starters.

Several key contributors, however, are gone.

All-district defensive player of the year Kabriel Anderson-Dale, a linebacker, three-year starting quarterback Dylan Plake, center Aaron Gomez, defensive tackle Amari Cheeks, defensive end Ja’Ron Jones, outside

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Harker Heights’ Tyler Johnson (4) runs down the sideline to the end zone after catching a pass against Hutto on Oct. 6, 2023, at Leo Buckley Stadium.

HEigHTs

linebacker Terrell Washington, punter Jai’den Fletcher, safety Ashton Stanford, cornerback Jacoby Evans and returner Tayden Newman all graduated.

While adjustments will be required, plenty of talent remains.

“That’s the beauty of high school football,” Humble said. “Really good players graduate every year, and they go on to do great things with some of them being blessed to go play at the next level. Then, new faces and new names step into those spots, and people might not know about them now, but they will in the future.

“We are fortunate enough to have a lot of experience coming back with some entering their third year.”

Among the players expected to assume additional responsibilities is senior receiver Tyler Johnson, who caught 69 passes for 769 yards and six touchdowns during his junior season. Additionally, senior receivers Kai McMillan and Rocky Crooks and senior running backs Kaden Butler and Zy’rian Evans return after each recorded multiple touchdowns last year.

Furthermore, the majority of both lines remain intact with junior guard James Kerney, senior offensive tackle Fernando Rodriguez, senior defensive tackle Alvion Candia-Brownlee and senior end Elijah Johsnon anchoring their respective units.

Defensively, junior inside linebacker Cooper Howard and senior safety Brian Hood are expected to be instrumental to the Knights’ success as they transition back into a more traditional district atmosphere following the elevation of longtime rivals Killeen and Shoemaker.

“It looks like it is going to be another stellar year in District 12-6A,” Humble said. “There are some really talented football teams that are really well coached. So, I think it is going to be just as tough or even tougher than years past.

“Our nondistrict schedule is tough, and we are going to get some great experience that prepares us for the district. That schedule should get us ready for district and hopefully the playoffs.”

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Harker Heights’ Kaden Butler, right, runs from the backfield as Odessa Permian’s Victor Ramirez (44) fills the hole at Joseph L. Searles III Stadium on Sept. 15, 2023.

Kangaroos on upswing, looking to reach postseason for first time in eight years

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

One of Josh Sadler’s goals upon arriving at Killeen in 2022 was to recreate the program into his vision, but he did not achieve the feat.

His players did.

While the Kangaroos experienced success during the eight-year stint of predecessor Neil Searcy, making an appearance in the 2016 playoffs, the team’s new head coach wanted to tweak philosophies and usher in a fresh start. The approach worked as Killeen has earned more victories in Sadler’s tenure than in the prior three years combined.

With the team’s trajectory headed upward, Sadler could take credit for the turnaround, but he believes others are owed the recognition.

“The ultimate prize for a coach is getting to see your kids grow and develop,” Sadler said. “The senior class this year was going into its sophomore season as I came in, and they helped us change the culture. How much they helped us change the thought process and the expectations for the Killeen Kangaroos is unbelievable.

“All those young men answered the call and have been great leaders in the weight room and on the field. … They just completely bought in.”

Now, the group looks to help the Kangaroos complete their trek back into the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons, and there is no doubt their senior receivers will be critical components.

Entering the season, Sadler is overseeing a battle for the quarterback position following the graduation of three-year starter Roderick Norman, but regardless of who emerges with

KILLEEN KANGAROOS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 5-5

2017: 4-6

2021: 2-8

2020: 3-6

2019: 3-7

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 Cedar Park Vista Ridge 7:00

Sept. 6 at Ellison (B) 7:00

Sept. 12 Lake Belton 7:00

Sept. 19 at Brenham 7:00

DISTRICT 12-6A

Sept. 27 at Copperas Cove 7:30

Oct. 4 Harker Heights 7:30

Oct. 10 at Shoemaker (B) 7:00

Oct. 18 Temple 7:30

Oct. 25 at Waco Midway 7:30

Nov. 7 Bryan 7:00

(B)-Buckley Stadium

the role, his targets are clear.

Timothy Boatner, who led Killeen with 713 yards and six touchdowns receiving last year, Antwoine Warren, Raymond Howard and T’antrae Thomas should consume a majority of the catches with senior running back Kardae Hicks collecting a significant share as well. As a junior, Hicks had 168 yards and two touchdowns receiving to go with 768 yards and seven touchdowns rushing.

Hicks and Howard were each 4-5A, Division I All-District selections last year, when the Kangaroos won their first four games of the season by a combined 72 points before finishing with a 5-5 record with every defeat coming by at least 19 points.

Although the season was split into two distinct showings, Sadler’s intentions on the field are consistent.

“My vision never changes,” he

Killeen High’s Timothy Boatner (9) runs for a first down as Midlothian’s Roman Parham tackles him at Leo Buckley Stadium on Sept. 29, 2023.

said. “I want an offense that is fast paced and scoring points, and I want a defense that is going to bend but not break and really attack people from every direction. That is always my philosophy, and the kids have really adapted to that.

“Every single game this year is

going to be a battle, so we are going to have to find ways to win games, and I think special teams is going to be a big part of doing that too.”

Only two of Killeen’s games last year were decided by single-digit

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kAngAROOs

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points, and one will have a rematch this season.

After defeating Ellison 34-28 in double overtime last year during district competition, the pair will relive the encounter this year as part of the nondistrict schedule.

The University Interscholastic League’s recent realignment process elevated the Kangaroos into District 12-6A while the Eagles were lowered into Class 5A, Division II but the rivalry remains with a Week 2 contest.

It will serve as one of four games for Killeen before initiating district play with a trip to Copperas Cove.

“You usually look at your district schedule and see some guys you know you’ll have a good shot to get the win against,” Sadler said. “There is not one of those on this schedule. It is just a really tough district, and every single one of those opponents is really good, tough and well coached.

“There are some favorites, and there are some teams with a lot of talent out there, but I think we are right in the mix for one of those playoff spots. We have to play well, though.”

Killeen High’s Kardae Hicks (2) runs near the sideline as he escapes Midlothian’s Carson Kemp (32) and another defender at Leo Buckley Stadium on Sept. 29, 2023.

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an even faster Shoemaker team could help grey Wolves overcome key losses

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

Toby Foreman is still learning about his team.

Last season, Shoemaker’s roster was filled with familiar faces. The offense was spearheaded by Jerrod Hicks, who accounted for 1,389 and 22 total touchdowns, and he was aided by linemen Kareem Edmon and Conner Schulze, while end Jay Haynes, linebackers Isaac Terrazas and Justice Landa, safety Malik Esquerra and cornerback Marquise Cross anchored the defense.

The standouts responsible for the program’s second consecutive playoff appearance, however, have moved on along with three other starters.

Now, while Foreman understands someone must fill the voids, with the season opener at Round Rock rapidly approaching, he still does not know who.

“It is going to be a little different year,” Foreman said, “but each year is. Honestly, I’m still trying to find out what our strengths and weaknesses are, and we normally know that by now. As we are identifying our roster, we are trying to figure out what our top two or three run plays are, what kind of passes do we like or whether we want to play with three or four linemen on defense.

“We’ve done it a bunch of different ways in the past, but my grandma always told me that there was more than one way to skin a cat, so we will just have to find out where we are in those areas as we go and try to focus on the things we are best at.”

Luckily, the Grey Wolves have time to address any concerns.

Now residing in District 12-6A after being elevated in the University Interscholastic League’s biennial reclassi-

SHOEMAKER GREY WOLVES

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 7-4

2022: 8-3

2021: 3-6

2020: 7-3

2019: 7-4

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 at Round Rock 7:30

Sept. 6 Nuevo Leon (S) 7:30

Sept. 13 at Ellison* 7:30

Sept. 19 Waco University (S) 7:00

DISTRICT 12-6A

Sept. 26 Temple (B) 7:00

Oct. 4 at Waco Midway 7:30

Oct. 10 Killeen (B) 7:00

Oct. 18 at Bryan 7:30

Oct. 25 Copperas Cove (S) 7:30

Nov. 1 at Harker Heights (B) 7:30 (S)-Searles Stadium (B)-Buckley Stadium

*-at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

fication and realignment, Shoemaker looks to build on the showings it produced in District 4-5A, Division I.

The Grey Wolves won 15 of 22 games during the previous two seasons with each of their playoff appearances ended by eventual state champion Aledo in the opening round.

Instead of being in a nine-team district, though, Shoemaker’s new home consists of seven teams, allowing for additional nondistrict competition to help identify solutions to any outstanding issues before embarking on another postseason run.

“We have four nondistrict games and a scrimmage before district,” Foreman said, “and with that amount

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Shoemaker’s Brandon Brown Jr. (3) catches a pass down the sideline for a gain against Killeen on Oct. 27, 2023, at Leo Buckley Stadium.

From PagE 10

of time, if somebody happens to get banged up early, you can normally recover. Without those extra nondistrict games, though, injuries can really hurt you, and that happened to us a couple of years ago.

“Football is not a game where you are going to have everybody healthy at the same time, but our goal is to be healthy and clicking on all cylinders by the time we open district.”

Offensively, the Grey Wolves will be guided by senior dual-threat quarterback Malachi Jerome, who amassed 1,229 yards and seven touchdowns passing to go with 338 yards and three touchdowns rushing, senior receiver Maurice Starr, senior tight end Isaiah Butler-Tanner and junior running back Brandon Brown, while end Travonne

Woodley and backs James Evans and Torion Thomas will guide the defense.

Starr and Brown were each part of Shoemaker’s 800- and 400-meter relay teams that placed third and sixth, respectively, at last season’s state track meet.

While the surface has changed to grass, Foreman expects the impressive speed will remain on display.

“This is probably the fastest team overall that I have ever coached,” he said, “and we are fast at every position. So, we have got to utilize that speed correctly on offense, and defensively, we’ve got to use that speed to rally to the football.

“But I’m just excited to coach them because there are a lot of playmakers on both sides of the ball and on special teams, so I’m expecting a very exciting year for the Grey Wolves.”

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Shoemaker quarterback Malachi Jerome looks to throw against Chaparral on Sept. 1, 2023, at Joseph L. Searles III Stadium.

mcCrea enjoying smooth transition after Bobcats’ first coaching change

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

Tyrell McCrea has not experienced a single game as Chaparral’s head coach yet, but he could not ask for a better start to the season.

Just two years into their existence, the Bobcats were forged into a team by program creator Alan Haire, who was responsible for every detail of Chaparral’s infancy.

Haire’s unexpected departure to become head coach at Jarrell, however, altered the Bobcats’ course, forcing the program to undergo a rebuild before winning two road games.

As a result, McCrea claimed the reins in hopes of continuing to build on what Haire started, and while the future on the field is unclear, everything is going according to plan inside the locker room.

“This job has exceeded expectations so far,” McCrea said, “and it is because the kids have already bought in. I can’t just come in and say how we are going to do this or that, because it is not about me. It is about the kids, and if they don’t like something, we’re not going to do it, but they’ve bought into everything we’ve done.

“From practice to how we carry ourselves outside of the game, they’ve shown so much class in what we are trying to do.”

McCrea was hired in July to fill the void left behind by Haire, who did not conduct spring practices, allowing Chaparral to begin practicing a week earlier and conduct an extra scrimmage this fall.

While the additional time does not necessarily accelerate the learning curve accompanying a turnover at head coach, it does allow McCrea a

CHAPARRAL BOBCATS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

Third season

2023: 3-7

2022: 1-9

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 at Kyle Lehman* 7:30

Sept. 5 Manor New Tech 7:00

Sept. 13 Lampasas 7:00

DISTRICT 8-5A-D1

Sept. 27 Cedar Park 7:00

Oct. 4 at Georgetown 7:00

Oct. 11 Leander 7:00

Oct. 18 Leander Rouse 7:00

Oct. 24 Georgetown East View^ 7:00

Nov. 1 Leander Glenn 7:00

Nov. 8 at Lake Belton# 7:00

*-Bob Shelton Stadium at Buda Hays HS

^-At Birkelbach Stadium

#-Tiger Field at Belton HS

new way of approaching the schedule.

With the University Interscholastic League elevating the Bobcats into the eight-team District 8-5A, Division I as part of its biennial reclassification and realignment process, only three games separate Chaparral from a Week 5 encounter with No. 18 Cedar Park in the league opener.

It might not seem like much time to prepare, but everything is a matter of perspective, according to McCrea.

“We are going to have to go and compete every week in district,” he said, “but that is what I want. I want these kids to be challenged, and I want to be challenged as a head coach. That is going to bring the best

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Chaparral’s Keith Tyler runs down the sideline before being forced out of bounds against Pflugerville at Joseph L. Searles III Stadium on Sept. 28, 2023.

CHAngE

From PagE 12

out of us and show our true character.

“I’m looking at things like we have five preseason games with our two scrimmages and three nondistrict games to get us ready for that district grind. We just want to go out and be competitive with the hopes of earning some extra games in the long run.”

Senior running back Keith Tyler will be critical for the Bobcats after being named 11-5A, Division II All-District Offensive Newcomer of the Year as a junior, while senior teammate Elgia Johnson, an offensive lineman, senior center Torrie Henry, junior tailback Kenneth Johnson and junior tight end Jeremiah Williams were all first-team selections.

Defensively, senior safety Joseph Hollis is Chaparral’s lone returning

first-team district representative.

So far, the Bobcats have progressed in each of their first two seasons, winning a single game in their debutbefore improving the total to three victories last year.

Should the trend continue, the Bobcats could be contending for a playoff berth this season, but McCrea understands there is a process to taking over a team, and he is not trying to force any issues.

“We want to just kind of mirror what has been done the last few years with them being fast paced anduptempo,” McCrea said, “but the main thing is to just do what our kids can do. We have guys who can run,so we are going to let them play in space, and I have two quarterbacks that are capable of doing that.

“There is speed all over the field, and we want to maximize that, and on defense, we just want to make things so easy that they can just go out and have fun.”

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Chaparral’s Joseph Hollis intercepts a Marble Falls pass on Sept. 8, 2023, at Joseph L. Searles III Stadium in Killeen.

Enormous senior class, return to smaller district bolster Ellison’s playoff chances

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

This is now truly Danny Servance’s team.

Four years ago, the longtime head coach relocated to Ellison, where he inherited a two-win team. At the same time, a crop of timid and insecure freshmen crossed Servance’s path as they too started their tenure at the school.

During the ensuing seasons, he witnessed the group’s progression as players and people, and now, the maturation process is nearly complete with many members of Servance’s first freshman class now preparing to conclude their high school careers.

As a result, this season will be a fullcircle experience for Servance and one he intends to cherish.

“It is going to be a really neat season,” Servance said, “because we have 35 seniors, so half the team will be seniors. The leadership part of that is so exciting, because I’ve watched these guys mature, and now they know the organizational culture of the program.

“They are an extension of me, they know what I want, they know the expectations we have for the program, and they are doing a great job of leading by example and making sure they are holding everyone accountable.”

There are certainly some big shoes to fill.

While the Eagles are welcoming in a large senior class to potentially guide the program back into theplayoffs for the first time since 2017, the players must replace a variety of key contributors who graduated.

Kesean Meeks, a linebacker, departed after being named 4-5A, Division I All-District Defensive Player of the Year, and he was accompanied

ELLISON EAGLES

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 2-8

2022: 5-5

2021: 4-6

2020: 2-8

2019: 3-7

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 at Copperas Cove 7:30

Sept. 6 Killeen (B) 7:00

Sept. 13 Shoemaker* 7:30

Sept. 22 Red Oak (B) 7:00

Sept. 28 vs. Odessa^ 7:00

DISTRICT 10-5A-D2

Oct. 10 Belton (S) 7:00

Oct. 18 at Waco# 7:00

Oct. 25 Brenham (B) 7:00

Oct. 31 Bryan Rudder(B) 7:00

Nov. 8 at Waco University# 7:00 (B)-Buckley Stadium

*-at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

^-at Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium (S)-Searles Stadium

#-Waco ISD Stadium

by punter Israel Najera, two of the team’s top three receivers in Tay’veon Johnson and Micah Casson, backup quarterback Xavier Dormeus and three of the defense’s most productive tacklers — Oluwatimilehin Olagoke, Elijah Martinez and Amir Cavello — among others.

While a wealth of talent was removed from Ellison’s roster, plenty of potential remains.

Offensively, quarterback Sidney Holland, a senior, will engineer the unit following a nearly 1,000-yard campaign. He passed for 769 yards, ran for 211 yards and accounted for 11 total touchdowns.

Also playing behind Aiden Uresti, a returning offensive lineman, running backs Joseph Fowlkes and Ja’Kiree Teal will look to guide the ground

Ellison’s Sidney Holland (4) drops back to pass against Lake Belton at Leo Buckley Stadium on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023.

game, while Prince Hall should serve as one of the Eagles’ primary receivers.

Replacing a player as influential as Meeks will be difficult, but senior linebacker Marquivio Ballard will

be tasked with the chore, and he will be complemented on the defense by lineman Sema’J Howard and backs Jordan Jefferson, Nodoye Babacar

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“I feel like we have some great building blocks to start working with,” Servance said. “I know how much work has been put in during the offseason and through strength and conditioning, and you do that in order to reap the benefits throughout the season.

“So, it is great to see the kids applying everything we’ve done during the offseason. They are all bigger, faster and stronger, and they are all working toward mastering our offense and defense.”

Ellison has until October to prepare for its run toward the playoffs.

With the move from District 4-5A, Division I to District 10-5A, Division II, the Eagles dropped in classification and eliminated several opponents from their district schedule.

Last year, Ellison only had two contests to get ready for a grinding eight-game district schedule, but now, the Eagles are part of a six-team district, meaning their season will be split into five nondistrict and five district games.

Needless to say, it is a drastic change.

“We have five games to get acclimated, make changes and do all the things we need to do before district starts,” Servance said. “That is the positive, but the negative side is that we have to worry about avoiding injuries and stuff for five games before district.

“There are pros and cons, and I don’t know which one I like the best, but I have never had this many nondistrict games before. It is just a huge difference from the last two years.”

2024 KILLEEN ISD VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DAY/DATE KILLEEN ELLISON HARKER HEIGHTS

Fri - Aug 16

Thurs - Aug 22

- VANDEGRIFT (7 p.m./Monroe Memorial Stadium)

SCRIM - LEANDER GLENN (7 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

- ROUND ROCK (7 p.m./Dragon Stadium)

- BELTON (7 p.m./Tiger Field)

Fri - Aug 30 VISTA RIDGE (7 p.m./Buckley Stadium) COPPERAS COVE (7:30 p.m./Bulldawg Stadium) CEDAR PARK (7:30 p.m./Searles Stadium) ROUND

Thurs - Sep 5

Fri - Sep 6

(7 p.m./KHS Visitor @ Buckley Stadium)

Thurs - Sep 12 LAKE BELTON (7 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

Fri - Sep 13

Thurs - Sep 19

Fri - Sep 20

Thurs - Sep 26

Fri - Sep 27

Sat - Sep 28

Fri - Oct 4

Thurs - Oct 10

(7 p.m./Cub Stadium)

(7 p.m./EHS Home @ Buckley Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./EHS Home @ UMHB)

(7 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

SPRINGS (7:30 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./Dragon Stadium)

(7 p.m./Manor Athletic Complex)

(7:30 p.m./Bob Shelton Stadium)

(7 p.m./Searles Stadium)

LEON (7:30 p.m./Searles Stadium)

COVE (7:30 p.m./Bulldawg Stadium)

OAK (7 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./SHS Visitor @ UMHB)

(7 p.m./Searles Stadium)

(7 p.m./Midlothian ISD Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

(1 p.m./Shotwell Stadium)

HARKER HEIGHTS (7:30 p.m./KHS Home @ Buckley Stadium)

SHOEMAKER (7 p.m./KHS Visitors @ Buckley Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./HHHS Visitor @ Buckley Stadium)

(7 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

(7 p.m./Searles Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./Pather Stadium)

(7 p.m./Searles Stadium) KILLEEN (7 p.m./SHS Home @ Buckley Stadium)

Fri - Oct 11 BRYAN (7:30 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

Fri - Oct 18 TEMPLE (7:30 p.m./Buckley Stadium) WACO (7 p.m./Waco ISD Stadium)

Fri - Oct 25

Thurs - Oct 31

(7:30 p.m./Panther Stadium)

Fri - Nov 1 BYE

Thurs - Nov 7

Fri - Nov 8

(7 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

(7 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

(7 p.m./Buckley Stadium)

COVE (7:30 p.m./Bulldawg Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./Merrill Green Stadium)

COVE (7:30 p.m./Searles Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./HHHS Home @ Buckley Stadium) HARKER HEIGHTS (7:30 p.m./SHS Visitor @ Buckley Stadium)

(7:30 p.m./Wildcat Stadium) BYE

(7 p.m./Waco ISD Stadium)

(7 p.m./Birkelbach Field)

(7 p.m./Searles Stadium)

ROUSE (7 p.m./Searles Stadium)

(7 p.m./Birkelbach Field)

(7 p.m./Searles Stadium)

(7 p.m./Tiger Field)

lampasas well-equipped for stout new district, seventh straight playoff berth

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

Lampasas is attempting to reach the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season, and if the Badgers accomplish the feat, they will be prepared.

Since 2018, Lampasas has been one of the most consistent postseason performers in the area, repeatedly earning berths and often experiencing success.

The streak began with a trip to the second round, and one season later, the Badgers finished a single victory shy of playing for the state championship.

Last year, Lampasas returned to the area round for the fourth time in six seasons.

So, while the Badgers are accustomed to tough competition in the playoffs, they will encounter plenty of obstacles long before playing for a bi-district championship.

Thanks to the University Interscholastic League’s recent realignment process, Class 4A, Division I No. 17 Lampasas now resides in the ultra talented District 4 along with two teams situated even higher in the preseason rankings.

While returning to the playoffs will be a challenge, Badgers head coach Troy Rogers believes the process of earning qualification will be beneficial.

“This is the toughest schedule we’ve had since I’ve been here,” he said, “and this is my ninth year, but that is a good thing because we are equipped to handle it. I say that because we’ve got depth now that we didn’t have three years ago when we were playing guys on both sides of the ball.

“We would be worn out and tired, so when you play a tough schedule, you

LAMPASAS BADGERS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 9-3

2022: 6-5

2021: 5-6

2020: 9-1

2019: 13-2

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 Fredericksburg 7:30

Sept. 6 at Salado 7:30

Sept. 13 at Chaparral 7:00

Sept. 20 Wimberley 7:30

Sept. 26 at Waco University* 7:00

Oct. 3 Lorena 7:00

DISTRICT 4-4A-D1

Oct. 11 Brownwood 7:30

Oct. 18 at Burnet 7:30

Oct. 25 Stephenville 7:30

Nov. 1 at Marble Falls 7:30

*-Waco ISD Stadium

better have guys who can play and some reserves ready.”

Lampasas retained 14 starters from last season, including nine on offense highlighted by last year’s unanimous 13-4A, Division I All-District Offensive Utility Player of the Year in Haegan Oncken.

Additionally, the Badgers return key contributors Reed Jerome, a senior quarterback, receivers Ty Johnson and Bryson Roberts, offensive linemen Kevin Castruita, Tucker Jarboe, Bryton Ellis and Daniel Norton, defensive linemen Raider Morua, Trenton Hobbs and Cameron Russell and linebackers Levi Guthrie and Eli Calderon among others.

The group will be critical to surviving a brutal four-game district schedule, including contests against No. 1

denn s knowlton | Herald

Lampasas quarterback Reed Jerome passes as Gatesville’s Dutch Nielsen (28) pressures him during a scrimmage on Aug. 16 at Gatesville High School.

From PagE 1

Stephenville and No. 7 Brownwood. But the challenges are not limited to district.

In Week 4, Lampasas hosts Class 4A, Division II No. 5 Wimberley, and it plays above its conference twice, traveling to Class 5A programs Chaparral and Waco University.

Altogether, the Badgers’ regular-season opponents produced a combined record of 72-49 last year.

“Our district is obviously tough,” Rogers said, “but by the time we get to district, we will have seen stateranked teams. So, we’re not going to get caught off guard by anyone this year because we are always playing tough teams, and our kids are going to have to be prepared.

“We are going to find out what it is like to handle adversity because no

matter what, we are going to deal with a lot of adversity.”

There is reason to believe Lampasas will pose problems for the opposition as well, though.

The Badgers averaged 40.8 points per game last year while only allowing 26.1, and Jerome, a dual threat, was responsible for 249.2 (194.2 passing, 55.0 rushing) of the team’s 438.7 total yards per outing. He also accounted for 31 passing and nine rushing touchdowns.

“I’m excited about the amount of players we have returning offensively,” Rogers said. “Almost our entire offensive line is back and basically all of our skill guys are back, so we are already able to take that next step and kick the training wheels off early because everybody knows what we are doing. Now, we are justtrying to get better and more consistent at it.

“It is also nice to have a returning starter at quarterback, because that always makes things go a bit smoother.”

denn s knowlton | Herald

Lampasas’ Haegan Oncken carries against Gatesville during a scrimmage on Aug. 16 at Gatesville High School.

gatesville takes on rugged 12-4a-d2 with one of Central texas’ top running backs

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

Aaron Hunter wants to win games but only after other obligations are fulfilled.

A proud alumni of Gatesville, the Hornets’ head coach, who is entering his third year overseeing the program, is as competitive as anyone. Whether as a player, coach or fan, Hunter’s intentions are to always emerge victorious, and his contributions prove as much.

Following a winless 2019 season, Hunter was named Gatesville’s defensive coordinator, and the unit immediately improved, allowing 343 fewer points than the prior year. Additionally, the Hornets returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

In 2022, Hunter was elevated to head coach, and Gatesville produced seven wins — tying the team’s most since going 12-1 in 2012. Then, he matched the seven-win mark last year en route to gathering the Hornet’s first bidistrict championship since defeating Taylor 51-25 in 2015.

While each win was celebrated by Hunter, there are admittedly more meaningful moments.

“Football is about wins and losses,” he said, “and I’ll always be judged on wins and losses, as I should be, but the game of football goes so much deeper than that. I’m trying to teach those guys how to do things that will allow them to be successful when they are 30 years old, not when they are 16, 17 or 18 years old.

“So, as a coaching staff, we judge success on being able to grow these guys and teach them life lessons.”

Although the intentions are to achieve both wins and personal development, Gatesville’s schedule will pose challenges.

GATESVILLE HORNETS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 7-5

2022: 7-4

2021: 4-7

2020: 4-6

2019: 0-10

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 at Taylor 7:30

Sept. 6 Glen Rose 7:30

Sept. 13 at Mexia 7:30

Sept. 20 McGregor 7:30

Sept. 27 at Burnet 7:30

DISTRICT 12-4A-D2

Oct. 11 Waco La Vega 7:00

Oct. 18 Lorena 7:00

Oct. 25 at China Spring 7:00

Nov. 1 Robinson 7:00

Nov. 8 at Waco Connally 7:00

The Hornets reside in the ultra talented District 12-4A, Division II with three teams — No. 8 Waco La Vega, No. 11 China Spring and No. 21 Lorena — ranked in the preseason poll. Additionally, two-time District 11-4A, Division II champion Waco Connally moves into the district with Gatesville.

Prior to ever beginning the district schedule, though, the Hornets also play Class 4A, Division II No. 4 Glen Rose in Week 2.

The scenario is not ideal, but it is something Gatesville has been unintentionally preparing for after being involved in seven games determined by one score last year.

“When you run the ball like we do,” Hunter said, “a lot of games are going to be close just because we are eating so much time off the clock. So, we

Gatesville’s multitalented Rayshon Smith competes in the long jump during the third annual Johnny “Lam” Jones Relays on April 5 at Lampasas High School. The Hornets running back enters the season on the verge of 3,000 career rushing yards.

Herald| FIle

gATEsVillE

From PagE 20

got comfortable being in some really tight ballgames last year and just having to try to find a way to win.

“That is going to be a lot of how this year is. We’re going to want to just keep the game close, hold the ball, play good defense and in the fourth quarter, figure out a way to win the game.”

Once again, running back Rayshon Smith, a senior, will be the offensive focus after delivering 1,588 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing with nine of his 11 starts resulting in 100-yard outings highlighted by a stretch of three 200-yard outbursts during four games in October.

Despite Smith’s potential, the Hornets must overcome tremendous turnover after losing at least five starters on each side of the ball.

All-district defensive player of the year Lawson Mooney, offensive linemen Zach Bryant, Tookie Jones, Gabe Charles and Logan Busch, defensive lineman Cory Burns, safety Sean Aguilar, quarterback Jacob Newkirk, tight end J.T. Coffman, linebacker Tommy Aaron and returner Adrian Smith all graduated.

Now, a new crop of playmakers must take their places.

“Our offense is going to be based heavily on Rayshon,” Hunter said.

“He’s on the verge of breaking 3,000 yards in his career and becoming the third all-time leading rusher in Gatesville history, and this school is known for its running backs, but we’ve also got some explosive receivers on the outside. We are the most talented at skill positions since I’ve been here.

“So, this is probably the best team we’ve had here in a long time, but this will also be the hardest schedule we’ve played in a long time.”

denn s knowlton | Herald

Gatesville quarterback Gehrig Keeton (42) hands off to Cy Burns during an Aug. 16 scrimmage against Lampasas at Gatesville High School.

Salado and new coach Beaty expect to be playoff contender right away

By tim WaitS FMe news servICe

SALADO — It may be Ricky Beaty’s first job title as head coach, but he’s no novice to the position even if did undergo a baptism by fire.

The years he spent coaching at his hometown Wimberley, Weatherford and Georgetown ultimately prepared him to take the reins at Salado where he is seeking to put the Eagles back in the spotlight after just a combined five victories the last two seasons.

“I was drinking out of a firehose for a while,” said Beaty, who replaced retired Salado native Tom Westerberg after a stint as Georgetown High’s offensive coordinator. “We want to attack the culture and set standards we expected them to be and where we needed to be. We want to put our thumb down on every school standard for everyone and be held accountable. We’re about doing things the right way.”

On the field, the Eagles aren’t completely overhauling the spread offense system already employed. With that said, the terminology is all new though the learning curve isn’t as steep. They are simply finding more avenues to move the football with an emphasis on the running game.

“We want to establish the running game with an emphasis on physicality which gives an opportunity to throw the ball. We want to use the whole field,” said the 36-year-old Beaty who brought in several new coaches to his staff to inject new energy into the Eagles’ bloodstream. “On defense we want to stop the run and be hard to prepare for and not get beat deep.”

They will have every opportunity to do so with skilled rushers and receiv-

SALADO EAGLES

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 2-8

2022: 3-8

2021: 7-4

2020: 11-2

2019: 8-4

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 Troy 7:30

Sept. 6 Lampasas 7:30

Sept. 13 at Giddings 7:30

Sept. 20 at Academy 7:30

DISTRICT 13-4A-D2

Sept. 27 at Lago Vista 7:30

Oct. 4 Geronimo Navarro 7:30

Oct. 11 at Wimberley 7:30

Oct. 25 Jarrell 7:30

Nov. 1 at Gonzales 7:30

Nov. 8 Smithville 7:30

ers fronted by a veteran front line.

Senior Lincoln Hossfeld (5-9, 195) is taking the quarterback reins and has talented skill players to work with.

Wideout Brendan Wilson (5-10, 160) has big-play capabilities, coming off a season of racking up 600 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The same goes for Korbin Konarik (6-2,170) on the perimeter as well as slot receiver Luke Bingham (5-8, 150).

Salado has similarly built senior rushers in Javier Miranda (5-8, 180) and Jackson Turk (5-9, 180).

They will have the privilege to operate behind senior tackles Ethan Van De Plas (6-4, 230) and Daniel Flas (6-7, 285) and strong guard Tyler Blackwell (6-1, 250). Brooks McLane (5-9, 230), Robert Grant (5-10, 235) and Michael Valdez (5-9, 250) are in the mix up front. Senior Brady Heber (6-2, 210) is listed at tight end as is sophomore Landon Noske (6-2, 185). Townes Sath-

er should handle the kicking duties. Defensively the Eagles give multiple looks to opposing offenses. They are led by twin junior Damonte and Devonte Foster. Damonte (6-0, 180) is an active outside linebacker while Devonte (6-0, 170) is a safety and backup quarterback. Senior Brodie Lanon (5-11, 205) is a leader on the defensive line and junior Brayden Dildine (5-8, 155) is a solid cornerback. After a couple of subpar seasons, the Eagles may have the luxury of being somewhat of an afterthought in District 13-4-II. Salado is projected to be outside the playoff picture behind front-runner Wimberley and perennial playoff teams in Lago Vista, Geronimo Navarro and Gonzales.

Beaty doesn’t really see it that way. “I think we stack up better than we have been,” said Beaty, who made stops in Troup, Hardin-Simmons, Wimberley and Weatherford before spending the last eight years at Georgetown. “My impression is that we will be tons better than people give us credit for.”

Salado has a more familiar nondistrict schedule in the likes of Troy, Lampasas, Giddings and Academy before embarking on a district that also includes Jarrell and Smithville. Regardless of the schedule, Beaty feels he has every reason to believe the Eagles will be a serious contender. “I believe we can compete with all of them.”

ray swIndle | speCIal to FMe news servICe Lincoln Hossfeld takes over at quarterback for the Salado Eagles this season.

Florence Buffaloes winning already with return of on-campus home games

By Clay Whittington Herald Correspondent

Robert Draper experienced a lot during his first season at Florence.

Upon his arrival, the Buffaloes’ new head coach immediately encountered obstacles. Along with having to familiarize himself with an entirely new roster and address the multitude of mundane aspects involved withtransitioning to a new program, Draper faced unusual challenges as well.

Due to being in the midst of a severe drought, water restrictions imposed by the city led to the deterioration of the school’s field, leaving only dead grass and dirt on the surface.

In addition to making practice conditions unconventional, the situation made it impossible for the stadium to host games, so while Draper experienced a lot during his first season at Florence, there are still things to look forward to.

“We had to plan out our expectations for home games,” Draper said, “and I had no idea what things would look like, because I’ve never had one. So, I am super excited to play in that stadium, and I know the kids are too.

“As a head coach, I’m a little nervous to see how it goes, but I’m thrilled that we get to play at home, and the fact we don’t have to travel as much this year is really going to help a lot.”

The Buffaloes will play their first home game since Nov. 2, 2022, in Week 2, when they welcome Temple Central Texas Christian, and if all goes according to plan, there could be multiple reasons to celebrate.

Amidst all the adversity, Florence was winless in Draper’s debut, and the program enters this season on

FLORENCE BUFFALOES

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 0-10

2022: 1-8

2021: 4-6

2020: 0-10

2019: 1-9

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 at Rosebud-Lott 7:30

Sept. 6 Central Texas Christian 7:00

Sept. 13 Austin Achieve 7:00

Sept. 20 at Holland 7:30

Sept. 27 Hico 7:00

DISTRICT 13-3A-D1

Oct. 4 Llano 7:00

Oct. 11 Ingram Moore 7:00

Oct. 25 at Luling 7:00

Nov. 1 Universal City Randolph 7:00

Nov. 8 at Marion 7:30

a 17-game losing skid, but there is reason to believe the squad’s fortunes could reverse.

A longtime disciple of the slot-T offensive philosophy, Draper dedicated much of his focus last year toward installing the intricate run-based scheme, and there was an obvious learning curve.

Now, however, the concepts are no longer foreign.

“We are just so much more comfortable as a team,” Draper said. “Last year was a lot of firsts for everybody, and it was such a crazy year with everything going on. This year, hopefully, things will be a lot more stable.

“Stability and consistency is what helps you win games, and I think we are at that point now where we are there. We will see if it translates into some wins.”

Juan Mendez, a sophomore, returns as the team’s leading rusher after being placed on the 13-3A, Division II

Florence’s Danny Castelan-Maldonado (21) runs outside against a defender in a scrimmage at Bruceville-Eddy on Aug 16.

All-District Second Team, while twoway standout Danny Castelan-Maldonado, a running back and linebacker, landed on the first team defense as a junior.

Also returning, Miguel Martinez, a junior, was named all-district co-utility player of the year for his efforts at running back and defensive back, and he will be joined on the field by linemen Hayden Regier, Colton Lattimer and Adam Heffington. Additionally, Adien Mendoza, Devon Kendall, Mason Estrada and Mariano Palacios will be key contributors for the Buffaloes.

While talent is present, Florence will still be battling the odds this season.

With an enrollment of 370 students, the Buffaloes are literally the smallest school residing in Class 3A, Division I after exceeding the cutoff by one student and being elevated during the University Interscholastic League’s most recent realignment process.

Although it is not an ideal scenario, Draper is not complaining.

“The UIL was a little kind to us and didn’t put us in a district with (No. 3) Franklin and (No. 18) Little River Academy,” he said. “Instead, we are in a district with some teams that we play other sports against, including Llano and Ingram Moore. They are still tough competition, but it is a different level, and we know what to expect out of those athletes.”

andy zavo na | Herald

tigers reload on offense following 10-win season, team’s best since 2009

By Jon BrooKS FMe news servICe

Belton’s wins have increased each year since head coach Brett Sniffin took over in 2020, leading to last season’s 10-2 standard that marked the team’s first double-digit win total since 2009. Gone are 31 seniors from that group, leaving plenty of holes for the Tigers to fill with newcomers looking to make their mark while continuing the program’s winning ways.

“We’ve got so many young kids, we just want to get them some experience so that they get some time under their belt,” Sniffin said. “We want to win the games, obviously, but at the same time, we have to get those kids ready and the whole team ready. And obviously when we get to district, we want to win championships and we want to move far in the playoffs and give kids a great experience playing football.”

A plus for Belton, which returns five starters on offense, is the retention the players have shown from spring as well as their willingness to learn. Though they’ll be younger, the Tigers also will be bigger up front, which they hope leads to a more physical attack.

“This year, we’re bigger on the offensive line and we’ve got a good group of running backs that we feel like can carry the load and really be physical. So we just want to try and take advantage of our size,” said offensive coordinator Barry Campbell, whose group could start four to five sophomores in the trenches, including returner Beckett Butler as well as Ben Gutierrez, among others. Senior Jeremiah Houston also is competing for a spot and figures to see time. Along with the change in personnel comes a switch in schemes for Belton,

BELTON TIGERS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 10-2

2022: 9-3

2021: 6-5

2020: 3-7

2019: 3-7

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 29 Pfl. Hendrickson 7:00

Sept. 6 Georgetown 7:00

Sept. 12 at Georgetown East View* 7:00

Sept. 20 at San Angelo Central 7:00

Sept. 27 Cuero 7:00

DISTRICT 11-5A-D2

Oct. 10 at Ellison (S) 7:00

Oct. 18 Waco University 7:00

Oct. 25 at Bryan Rudder^ 7:00

Nov. 1 at Waco# 7:00

Nov. 7 Brenham 7:00

*-Birkelbach Stadium (S)-Searles Stadium

^-Merrill Green Stadium

#-Waco ISD Stadium

which has run a spread recently in order to complement its bevy of skill talent. With a bigger front, a deep backfield and a new quarterback for the third straight year, the Tigers instead will base out of a pro style offense that uses a fullback, tight end and mostly functions under center.

“The mentality of running under center is a little bit different than it is when you’re in the shotgun,” Campbell said. “We want to be able to keep the pressure on the defense throughout the game on stuff that we’re doing formation-wise, and with motions, and again attacking the defense downhill can wear it down, so we’re trying to take advantage of that.”

Third-year starter Shaun Snapp returns in Belton’s backfield, with fellow senior Marlon Bluntson shift-

ing from line to fullback. Also likely to see carries will be juniors Devin Horton and Gino Zecca, who each have varsity experience.

“I would say our run game is a strength. We have Shaun Snapp coming back. He’s a dog, and he puts in work. We also have a good fullback who puts in work, too,” senior tight end Collin Sallee said.

Snapp said a key is simply keeping up the daily grind.

“Right now, the offense, honestly, is working to get better because we have a younger team this year, so, really the goal is to get them ready and prepared,” he said. “Everybody’s been working hard in the offseason and now, too. I think everybody’s going to do good this season.”

Bluntson agreed, saying he likes the direction in which the new-look offense is pointed.

“I think our new scheme is going to a big improvement and a big change,” he said. “Our practices have been looking really good lately. I feel like everything we’ve worked towards, I’m actually seeing the progress. I think everybody’s putting in work, so I’m

ready to see that on the field.”

Belton averaged 340.5 yards per game last year and brings back thirdyear player Rayshaun Peoples to help at receiver, along with senior Cole Haisler. Sophomore Gavin Ross likely will see reps there, too, along with senior Josiah Martinez and sophomore Will Shepard when they aren’t at quarterback.

“The standard is to reach even higher than we have in the past couple years, and that’s the goal moving forward into every year,” said Martinez, who backed up Reese Rumfield at quarterback last year and is in the mix there again along with Shepard and sophomore Graham Chambley.

“Graham’s been leading the charge as we’ve come into fall practice, and he’s really doing a great job,” Campbell said while adding that Martinez and Shepard each will see the field elsewhere when they aren’t under center. “The big change for this group is the footwork is a lot different when you’re under center as opposed to shotgun, so that’s been the biggest adjustment for our guys at quarterback.”

Belton Tiger offensive players Shaun Snapp (45), Collin Sallee (17). Marlon Blunton (40) and Josiah Martinez (16).

Belton D short on experience, but expectations remain same

By Jon BrooKS FMe news servICe

Belton prides itself on being a hard-nosed, physical team, one capable of slowing down the running game of its opponents. It’s a formula the Tigers have executed well during their streak of two straight district championships, which culminated in last year’s 10win campaign highlighted by a second straight trip to the second round of the Class 5A-Division II playoffs. As it works in plenty of new faces this year — the Tigers return four starters on defense — the unit aims to keep that same mentality.

“Defensively, that’s where our more experienced players are,” head coach Brett Sniffin said. “So far, they’ve been talking and loud and providing leadership, so we need more of that from them.”

Among the Tigers returning on that side of the ball is senior defensive back Kegan Sherwood, whose 64 tackles ranked second on the team last fall.

Sherwood’s leadership will be counted on to anchor Belton’s secondary while senior linemen Damien Tiumalu and Ethan Ash bring back experience up front, as well as senior linebacker Sebastian Magana.

“That’s the big thing I’ve noticed is they’re all eager to learn,” defensive coordinator Christopher Harbin said of his veterans and newcomers. “There’s not a whole lot of ego. They’re coming in here to work. Like Coach Sniffin always says, we’re a lunch-pail team. We’re not always going to be the most athletic, but we’re going to work hard and hopefully it translates. So that’s what we’re kind of looking for now.”

Though Harbin has seven starters to replace from last year’s mix that allowed 312.6 yards per game, the coach feels the recipe is there.

“We don’t have a ton of seniors who are starters and stuff like that,

but the ones who are back are vocal. They’ve been here,” he said. “Most of them have been three-year varsity players, and that’s really big. They buy in and I lean on them a lot with, ‘You know what the expectation is, you know what we do.’ And they can get it to the other kids coming up.”

Tiumalu, Ash and J-Anthony Balderas, another senior, are a few players expected to set the tone in the trenches for the unit’s revamped scheme, which Harbin called a version of a 4-2-5.

“We’re going to an even front instead of an odd front, but we ran it last year at different times,” he said.

“It was a package for us last year, and now we’re kind of going to it full time. It translates to the kids well.”

Magana, a third-year varsity player, has liked what he’s seen so far from the team’s new faces, and he expects his teammates to set the tone up front.

“It’s going to be hard to get through our run defense this year,” Magana said. “I feel like that’s one of the main things the defense is really good at. We have a lot of young guys, but we just have to see if they can take the next step and play some big-boy football. I believe that they can accomplish it.”

Magana will be joined by sophomore Javid Planz, among others, at linebacker, while the Tigers’ secondary will include junior Khy Griffin — who played at Copperas Cove last year — along with sophomores Jahari James and Azian Wilkinson to accompany Sherwood, among others.

Though Belton will be youthful, its shift into the smaller District 10-5A-II, which features six teams, will allow for a bit more time for seasoning before league play begins.

“We’re going to have to play. It’s not a cupcake district by any means,

all six teams are good,” Harbin said. “Even if (teams’) records may not show it in the past, they make up for it in athleticism, so there are no callit-in games. But I think we’ll be fine. It’s just a matter of us coming along and getting our young guys ready.”

As Sherwood sees it, the senior is confident his group will figure it out.

“Our goal is to win. We’re coming out here and we’re competing, scrimmaging, every day with teamon-team. We’re just trying to get these guys up to speed,” he said. “Those first five games, it’s not a tryout; we’re going out there to win. At the end of the day, that’s just our competitive mindset. It’s not like, ‘Oh, we’re going to fill it out and see where you fit.’

Like, we have a scrimmage for that, and it’s straight business after that. The main goal is we’re going to go out there and play, and have fun, and win.”

ray swIndle | speCIal to FMe news servICe

Belton Tiger defensive players, from left to right, Sebastian Magana, Kegan Sherwood, Ethan Ash (35) and Damien Tiumalu.

5-star phenom micah hudson gone, but Broncos expect ‘lake Show’ to continue

By Will hoPKinS FMe news servICe

The biggest question surrounding the Lake Belton offense this offseason has been about a man who isn’t with the team anymore.

Five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson is gone after recording 1,278 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns in 2023. Davion Peters who managed 385 yards and five trips to the end zone is the team’s returning leader in both categories. It will be up to Peters and the other receivers to make up for the loss of production in the passing games and head coach Brian Cope believes they are up to the task.

“We might not be 20, 20, 20, 70 (yards receiving), we might be 45 across the board which I think is going to be good,” Cope said. “It’s going to make us more dynamic, it’s going to help us play at a faster pace.”

Joining Peters out wide will be Zach Dodd, a camp standout, Tyrrence Taylor and Christian Onchweri. Xavier Wells and Braxton Cope could also crossover from defense and see snaps at receiver.

Quarterback Eli Mascarenas is also excited by the changes that may come with a more balanced receiving core.

“I think without (Hudson) we’ll spread the ball around more instead of only having one target,” Mascarenas said. “I think that’ll open up the offense and make us, honestly, better.”

Mascarenas will be one of eight returning starters on offense and will look to improve after throwing for 2519 yards and 31 touchdowns last season. The quarterback is also the team’s leading returning rusher after scrambling for 264 yards last season, though Cope hopes that Lake can be better about choosing when his quar-

LAKE BELTON BRONCOS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 8-3

2022: 8-3

2021: 9-0

2020: 9-1 (debut season)

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 A&M Consolidated 7:00

Sept. 5 Round Rock McNeil 7:00

Sept. 12 at Killeen 7:00

DISTRICT 8-5A-D1

Sept. 27 at Leander Rouse* 7:00

Oct. 4 Georgetown East View 7:00

Oct. 11 at Leander Glenn^ 7:00

Oct. 18 at Leander 7:00

Oct. 25 Cedar Park 7:00

Nov. 1 at Georgetown 7:00

Nov. 8 Chaparral 7:00

All home games at Tiger Field at Belton

HS

*-Gupton Stadium in Cedar Park

^-Bible Stadium at Leander HS

terback uses his legs.

“I think we’ve got to be smart when we use that dual threat,” Cope said.

“It’s important that we’re smart when we use him to run the football, but he does understand what we’re trying to do when we ask him to do that.”

The only head coach in Lake’s history hopes that a pair of senior running backs, Kellen Scarborough and Tekoa Martin, can help take the load off Mascarenas and allow the quarterback to have higher quality runs. The two battled through camp to decide who would take over the starting role and could shoulder a lot of the responsibility for helping the Broncos take a step in the right direction.

Cope believes that the running game will be key to helping Lake achieve its goals.

“I think for us to win the games that we need to take another step, we’ve got to be able to run the football better,” Cope said. “That’s been a big point of emphasis for us all throughout. We can have all these great schemes but if we can’t run down hill and run inside zone really, really well, we’re not going to get to where we want to get to.”

The Broncos offense will be boosted by its play along the offensive line, with a talented and experienced core in place.

Tucker Schwartz, an Air Force Academy commit, joins four returning starters. Both Caleb Loper and Brett Harmon bring three years of starting experience to the trenches.

“In the past we’ve had older guys that are leading,” Loper said. “This year is a really good opportunity for me to step up and really be a good leader as a senior because other people are looking up to you so you’ve got to set the expectation high.”

Helping to strengthen the offense will be a new offensive philosophy brought in by coordinator Brandin Byrd, whose past experience with Cope has allowed him to fit right in. Players also feel that their new coordinator has made a good addition to the team.

“He checks in before practice and actual football,” Peters said. “He’s more than just a coach to us. He’s like a brother or an uncle to some of us.”

Byrd’s approach hasn’t brought many changes to the scheme, but has given the unit a new mindset.

“We’re still going to run the ball, throw the ball and still be as fast as we can be,” Harmon said. “This offseason we preached on being more mentally tough and more physically dominant. I feel like we’ve done a pretty good job so far.”

Lake hopes that Byrd’s style combined with an experienced unit will help it take the next step.

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Lake Belton offensive players Brett Harmon (65), Davion Peters (10) and Caleb Loper (66).

Lake Belton replacing six starters on defense

By Will hoPKinS FMe news servICe

In two years of UIL-sanctioned play, the Lake Belton Broncos have jumped out to a successful start as a program, earning eight wins in both seasons.

Despite the hot start there is still plenty to accomplish for the young program and Lake’s players know it. The Broncos are yet to win hardware from a playoff game or district title, something this year’s team wants to rectify. Some players have their sights set even higher.

“10-0, nothing less,” said safety Josh Mallard when asked about what a successful season would mean for him.

Last year the Broncos’ defense allowed 334.1 yards per game. Over 200 of those yards were against the rush. The group will look to improve on that to cover their lofty goals.

Lake’s defense will have plenty of new faces throughout, with just five returning starters from last season, and depth will be key to filling some of those holes. Head coach Brian Cope thinks the team has more than enough talent to replace their losses and the battles for open positions will just make each individual better.

“We’re going to make some tough choices,” Cope said. “At the end of the day we have a varsity team of 65, 50 of which are seniors. They’re going to fight to try to get on that field.”

Cope’s sentiment is shared by many of his players. Xavier Wells, a rising senior corner, agrees that the competition has helped sharpen the unit.

“I see dedication and people who want it,” Wells said. “Everybody wants it as bad as everybody else. If your teammate knows you want it, then everyone’s going to go compete at the high expectation. I see great things happening with our defense.”

The task of replacing a variety of starters and stars may sound daunting, but to hear defensive lineman Jeremiah Battreall, the formula for filling those gaps is simple.

“We can just play as a team honestly,” he said. “There ain’t really much to it.”

Battreall will anchor the Broncos’ defensive front after tallying five sacks and 12 tackles for loss last season, but the group around him has drawn plenty of excitement.

Cope believes that the depth of talent along the defensive line can help the Broncos reach new heights.

Battreall will be joined by Logan Martinez, Bosco Onchweri and Zion Williams, all seniors who Cope expects to play key roles. Juniors Evan Lazott and Caleb Chandler will get reps on the interior as well.

Linebacker Garrett Roland also caused problems in the backfield last year notching six sacks of his own, but the senior will be asked evolve in his role this year.

“This year I’ll be more in coverage,” Roland said. “Now I have to do it all, I couldn’t just rush the QB like I did last year, and it’s just going to be different. So I have to learn new things.”

Lake’s secondary returns plenty of talent, despite the loss of four-star cornerback Selman Bridges. Wells, Ayden Mitchell, Michael Frazier and Bryce Davis should all see the field.

Mallard, last year’s second-leading tackler, will play a key role at the safety position where he has been a staple for three years.

“He is a lot of fun to coach,” Cope said. “He has a great energy, he’s positive all about it.”

Mallard’s role in the defense is also set to change once again as he’ll fill the role of border safety following a switch from outside linebacker to safety last year. Braxton Cope and Adam Constancio will also see the field at safety.

Another change is the team’s schedule as they are set to take on a new group of district foes. Lake will play against the Leander Rouse Red Raiders to open district play in Week 5, the same team the Broncos faced in Week 1 of last season, before facing seven new programs to close out the season. The Broncos aren’t taking anything for granted.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Roland said. “I think it will be fun to play Austin teams this time instead of Dallas teams, we’ll see how it goes.” If the Broncos’ goals of bringing hardware home are to become reality at the season’s end, the questions throughout the defense will need to be answered. There is plenty of belief that the unit is up to the task thanks to the depth and competition that has been showcased in camp.

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Lake Belton defensive players, from left to right, Jeremiah Battreall, Xavier Wells, Josh Mallard and Garrett Roland.

Former Wildcat star QB President returns home to help spark temple offense

By grEg WillE FMe news servICe

The year is 2014, and Temple star senior quarterback Chad President is doing his best at practice every day to make things difficult for Wildcats first-year defensive coordinator Scott Stewart. With head coach Mike Spradlin’s high-tempo, President-operated offense constantly challenging Stewart’s defenders, Temple goes 13-2 and advances to the Class 5A Division I state championship game.

Now it’s 2024, and the roles have changed. Stewart is Temple’s ninthyear head coach, seeking a major response after the Wildcats last year skidded to a 1-9 record that halted their streak of 10 consecutive playoff appearances.

Meanwhile, President enters his first season as Temple’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, hungry to help his alma mater win big again.

“We really don’t (talk about last year’s struggle). One time this offseason, mid-February, I brought it up: ‘This is why we’ve got to do this,’” President said. “Then I told some coaches, ‘This is the last time we’re talking about that.’ Because these kids know how the coaches (last year) felt, how the community and school building felt. They want to change it, so now let’s talk about how we’re going to change it.”

President’s track record suggests his presence and leadership will benefit the Wildcats. With President serving as Rockwall-Heath’s QBs coach under Spradlin in 2020 and 2021 and as District 12-6A rival Waco Midway’s offensive coordinator last year, his teams went 3-0 against Temple while scoring 47 points per game.

TEMPLE WILDCATS

laSt FiVE SEaSonS

2023: 1-9

2022: 7-4

2021: 9-3

2020: 10-2

2019: 9-3

2024 SChEdulE

Aug. 30 Nuevo Leon 7:30

Sept. 6 Round Rock 7:30

Sept. 13 at SA Reagan* 7:30

Sept. 20 Austin High 7:30

DISTRICT 12-6A

Sept. 26 at Shoemaker (B) 7:00

Oct. 11 Waco Midway 7:30

Oct. 18 at Killeen 7:30

Oct. 25 Bryan 7:30

Nov. 1 at Copperas Cove 7:30

Nov. 7 Harker Heights 7:00

*-Heroes Stadium (B)-Buckley Stadium

When Stewart had the opportunity to hire hometown hero President last December, he seized it. Now Stewart believes the 27-year-old President — a rising star in coaching — will greatly impact the Wildcats’ student-athletes and offense.

“It’s his energy. Chad’s a champion of anything he does. His coaching is at a championship level. He’s a championship-level father,” Stewart said. “What he demands from his coaches and kids is impressive at such a young age. Chad’s not a rahrah guy. He’s genuine. He’s as real as real gets.”

President said living in Temple allows him to enjoy more time with his daughter, Mia, an active 9-year-old who attends Scott Elementary.

President’s offensive staff includes three Temple teammates from 2014:

Davion Curtis (receivers), Cole Martin (QBs/kickers) and Franc McCauley (linemen).

Temple’s mission for President’s shotgun-spread offense is to create a fast-paced, potent attack that challenges defenses on the ground and through the air.

“It’s going to be high-tempo and we’re trying to catch the defense off guard,” he said. “If we can run the ball and get good yardage, that allows us to go fast. There will be times we slow it down.”

With then-junior Kade Stewart and then-senior Damarion Willis sharing quarterback duties last season, Temple averaged 380.3 yards for coordinator Robby Case but threw more interceptions (15) than touchdown passes (12).

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Stewart, the head coach’s son, gained strength and nearly 20 pounds during the offseason. The left-hander seeks improved consistency after going 56-of-115 passing for 842 yards, six TDs and eight interceptions.

“Kade’s worked really hard,” Scott Stewart said. “He’s a resilient kid and this town, school and football team mean a lot to him.”

Temple’s head coach is adamant about ongoing competition at all positions, and junior transfer Champ Mayo (6-3, 180) is pushing Kade Stewart at QB.

“Kade’s practice habits are what I’m in love with. He comes ready to get better every day. Champ is cool, calm and collected. He doesn’t really get rattled,” President said. “It’s a competition all the way until before our first game.”

President described athletic, versatile junior receiver Ramauhn Brown as Temple’s “Swiss Army knife,” similar to former Wildcat Mikal Har-

‘It’s his energy. Chad’s a champion of anything he does.’

Temple head coach scott stewart on new offensive coordinator and former THs star QB Chad president

rison-Pilot.

“You’ll see Ramauhn at receiver. You’ll see him at QB,” President said. “He can be one of the best receivers to come through here.”

Fast, big-play senior receiver Christian Tutson (26 catches, 589 yards, five TDs) aims for his third straight productive season. Seniors Jack Flentge and Tr’Darion Taylor and juniors Preston Thomas and Rodney Nelson provide depth at receiver.

A starting safety the last two seasons, speedy O’Ryan Peoples moves to running back for his senior campaign.

“O’Ryan’s explosive with the ball in his hands. He brings a different dynamic,” said President, whose running backs include two skilled transfers: senior Antonio Guajardo (Ellison) and junior Cavalli Bivins (Academy).

Temple’s line features returning starters in senior right tackle Kirk Gildon (6-6, 285), senior left tackle Terrance Black and junior left guard Isaiah Guerra. Junior Patrick Douglas succeeds stalwart Endrei Sauls (Lamar) at center, with sophomore Bradley Fillmore playing right guard. President said the Wildcats have challenged Gildon and Black to play with more physicality and aggression.

Temple defense undergoes massive change following ‘hard lessons learned’ in 2023

By grEg WillE FMe news servICe

Scott Stewart has built a long, successful football career on coaching defense at a high level. He says veteran assistant coach Robert Havens was among the sharpest defensive minds he’s been around.

But in 2023, despite the best intentions and efforts of eighth-year head coach Stewart and first-year coordinator Havens, Temple’s defense struggled mightily. The Wildcats allowed 43.9 points and 477 yards per game, and they permitted a staggering 25 touchdowns of 30 yards or longer. Fundamentals broke down. Faulty angles were taken. Coverages were blown. Assignments and tackles were missed. Some players were hindered by injuries; others were benched because of behavior-related suspensions.

Although Temple used four sophomores on its primary starting defense, Stewart declined to use youth as an excuse for the unit’s subpar performance.

“Everybody’s like, ‘Well, you were young last year.’ Heck, it came out of my mouth. But how can I look at these kids and tell them ‘excuses are for losers’ and then talk about how young we are?” Stewart said in midAugust. “By Week 7, you’re not young anymore. At some point we’ve got to stop talking about that. What’s the reason (for 2023’s porous defense) and what do you do about it?”

Shortly after the Wildcats finished 1-9 last November, Temple ISD announced that Stewart — 64-32 with seven playoff berths as head coach — no longer would serve as athletic director. Longtime assistant athletic director Steve Prentiss was promoted

to AD, a change Stewart not only supported but has relished.

Meanwhile, Stewart decided Havens would not return as defensive coordinator. In mid-January, Temple found its new DC in energetic Thomas Rocco, who possesses two decades of coaching experience at Texas college programs.

“Coach Rocco is hyper-positive. Our kids and coaches have adapted to that really well. I’m trying to take some pages out of his book,” Stewart said. “He is all about, ‘Keep it simple and play fast.’ There’s a lot of adjustments, but the kids build off it in a way where it doesn’t seem like a lot.”

Rocco played defensive back at Colorado’s Fort Lewis College. After serving as Tyler Junior College’s head coach from 2019-21, he coached Sam Houston State’s cornerbacks and special teams the last two seasons. In his first high school job, Rocco has switched Temple’s base alignment from 4-2-5 to 3-3-5.

“We have adapted what we’re doing defensively to our personnel, and it’s the first time this group of guys has coached together. We’ve got to bridge the gap,” said Rocco, who brought new Temple defensive assistants Alex

Temple football defensive players

Jason Bradford (4), De’Avonte Carr (6), Demontrae Wheelock (9) and Jamarion Carlton (11).

ties. You’ve got a lot of God-given ability and big-time attributes. (But) you have not yet had a big-time season,’” Stewart said. “He’s very mature for his age. My job is to make sure he understands he hasn’t arrived yet.”

Temple has another four-star prospect in 6-3, 190-pound junior cornerback Jason Bradford, who should benefit from hard-earned experience as a sophomore starter.

“Being forged by the fire, JB’s got experience most junior cornerbacks don’t have,” Rocco said. “His willingness to get better and be a good teammate sticks out.”

Sultz and Jaylon Bowden from Sam Houston. “We’re happy to be here. It’s a good place.”

Another newcomer is cornerbacks coach Clint Cole, one of six Temple assistants who played for the Wildcats’ Class 5A Division I state runnerup team in 2014.

Headlining Temple’s revamped defense is junior Jamarion Carlton, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound outside linebacker/end who’s a top national recruit in the 2026 class. The explosive, long-armed Carlton collected 6½ sacks as a sophomore and returned an interception for a touchdown. The football and basketball standout should attract substantially more blocking attention this season.

“Jamarion Carlton is special, and not just on the field. His humility is impressive,” Rocco said. “If you challenge Jamarion, you just bring out more of the best in him. He’s one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen. As an 11th-grade edge guy, he’s in a class of his own.”

According to Stewart, Carlton’s focus should remain on turning his vast potential into greater production.

“My words to Jamarion are, ‘You’re going to get unbelievable opportuni-

Playmaking senior Lezlie Jackson joins Bradford as a returning starter at cornerback, while senior De’Avonte Carr returns at free safety after an injury-plagued junior season. Junior Houston Martin, who became a starting outside linebacker last year, and senior Ethan Sauls join Carr as starting safeties.

Senior Adrian Scott and junior Mikah Boldon complement Carlton in the linebacker corps. Rocco described disruptive senior lineman Demontrae Wheelock as “the most violent kid when he puts his hands on people.” The new DC also likes the emergence of senior end Dai’Shawn Hamilton and 300-pound junior nose guard Q’Terrius White.

In a quest to help Temple’s defense regain its successful form, Stewart is trusting new coaches to shake things up and generate a much-improved product.

“I’ve said it to anybody who’ll listen: the best lessons you’ll learn are probably the hardest ones. There were hard lessons learned (in 2023),” said Stewart. “I wanted fresh perspective. It’s been an adjustment with the way I do things, but I wanted to bring those guys in and turn them loose.”

ray swIndle | speCIal to FMe news servICe

SEC ready: longhorns join new league ‘obsessed’ with winning from the start

By Jim VErtuno ap sports wrIter

AUSTIN — The new conference logo is on the field. The campus party over the summer was a hit. New chants of “S-E-C, S-E-C!” are perfected and a historic rival is back on the schedule.

Now it’s time for No. 4 Texas to play some ball. The Longhorns are now officially members of the Southeastern Conference, and roll into new territory with the swagger of the new kid at school who thinks he’s got the talent to be the big man on campus from the start.

And why not?

Texas won the Big 12 last season, played in its first College Football Playoff and returns a load of talent from a 12-2 squad that finished the year ranked No. 3.

Year No. 4 under coach Steve Sarkisian has Texas not just dreaming about winning, but “obsessed” with it after last year’s near miss at playing for the national championship. It starts with an offense that could prove to be as explosive as any unit Sarkisian has had, with quarterback Quinn Ewers, a veteran offensive line and a receiving corps rebuilt with talented transfers.

“They got a taste of what it can taste like, of being a Big 12 champion, playing in a College Football Playoff, and we fell short,” Sarkisian said. “They couldn’t wait to get back to work. They couldn’t wait to get back in the weight room.

“When I took the job, I don’t know if I could have said that. It was almost like kind of prodding cattle to make sure that what they were doing day in and day out to get them to that point. Now we’ve got a team full of hungry players,” Sarkisian said.

QuartErBaCK ExPEriEnCE

Ewers took a big step in 2023 with 3,479 yards passing with 22 touchdowns and chose to return for his junior season rather than head for the NFL. Sarkisian believes Ewers could prove to be one of the college game’s elite passers this season, though he has had durability issues. Ewers has missed at least two games each of the last two seasons with injuries.

Waiting behind him is Arch Manning, the former

touchdowns in 23 career games. Blue is a former high school sprinter who once

tranSFEr timE

Texas landed a load of transfer talent, with a pair of pass catchers from Alabama in receiver Isaiah Bond and tight end Amari Niblack. Edge rusher Trey Moore (UTSA) and safety Andrew Mukuba (Clemson) were big gets as well.

Bond carries the load of the biggest expectations. Texas lost its top five receivers from 2023 and Bond led the Crimson Tide with 48 catches for 668 yards and four touchdowns. He’s the one who caught the 4th-and-31 touchdown in the final minute to beat Auburn.

inJury WatCh

The Longhorns are already shorthanded at running back.

Projected starter C.J. Baxter was lost for the season with a knee injury in camp. A week later, freshman Christian Clark tore an Achilles tendon in practice and will require season-ending surgery. Next up is fast but seldom used junior Jaydon Blue, who has 80 carries for 431 yards and three

hill to ClimB

Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. looks primed for a breakout year for a defense that lost last year’s dominant line duo of T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy to the NFL. He ranked second on the team in tackles last season when he played on the edge and was turned loose to chase the ball. Hill will move to the middle this season, which defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski called his natural position.

thE SChEdulE

Texas opens the season Aug. 31 at home against Colorado State. The next week, it’s a trip the Big House at defending national champion Michigan. The annual rivalry with Oklahoma on Oct. 12 is now an SEC game and the following weekend Texas hosts preseason No. 1 Georgia on Oct. 19. The bow on the regular season is Nov. 30 at Texas A&M, a renewal of a rivalry that dates to 1894. The Longhorns won the last meeting on a last-second field goal in 2011.

5-star recruit who might be the most anticipated backup QB at Texas since Vince Young in 2003.

clocked a 10.7-second 100 meters in high school.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers speaks during the Southeastern Conference college football media days on July 17 in Dallas.

JeFFrey MCwHorter | ap

mike Elko looks to get no. 20 texas a&m back on track after Jimbo Fisher’s firing

By KriStiE riEKEn ap sports wrIter

COLLEGE STATION — Mike

Elko turned around Duke’s program in his first head coaching job.

He is embarking on a much greater challenge at No. 20 Texas A&M, where he will try to take the Aggies to the next level after replacing the underperforming Jimbo Fisher. Elko spent four years as defensive coordinator with the Aggies before taking the Blue Devils job after the 2021 season. He led Duke to a 16-9 record in two seasons after the team had combined to win just 10 games in

the previous three years.

The Aggies are coming off a disappointing 7-6 campaign where Fisher was fired near the end of his sixth season. His departure led to a major turnover in the roster. Elko said that almost half the team left after last season and the Aggies have 41 new scholarship players this year.

Despite that, Elko has been encouraged by what he has seen from the Aggies since his arrival.

“It’s been awesome to watch them intentionally go out of their way to come together and bond and be ready to put together a tremendous product for Aggie fans to be proud of this fall,” he said. “Make no mistake,

there’s a lot of work still to be done to become the best version of ourselves but we’re meeting that challenge head on. I’m excited about our progress.”

One of Texas A&M’s most important returning players is quarterback Conner Weigman. The former fivestar recruit is healthy after a seasonending foot injury in the fourth game last season.

“This year I wanted to be a better leader, be the voice on the offensive side and just step up and be that guy in the locker room,” he said. “And I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of that.”

BEttEr PaSS ruSh

Texas A&M’s pass rush got a huge boost with the addition of defensive end Nic Scourton, who spent the last two seasons at Purdue. Scourton, who was named a second team preseason AP All American, led the Big Ten and ranked eighth in the nation with 10 sacks in 2023.

Scourton, who went to high school five miles from Kyle Field, was not recruited by the Aggies before signing with Purdue. He is thrilled to be back home.

“No hard feelings at all,” he said. “I think that just pushes me to go harder … it just makes me want to go out there and prove it more.”

Scourton, who some see as a top 10 pick in early NFL draft projections, spent time this summer working with Texas A&M greats Von Miller and Myles Garrett.

“I built a lot of confidence out there just seeing that I could fit in with those guys,” he said.

oWEnS out

The Aggies will be without Rueben Owens this season after the running back suffered a serious foot injury during a recent scrimmage. Elko said

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko speaks during Southeastern Conference college football media days on July 18 in Dallas.

he could return if the Aggies advance to the postseason.

Owens had 101 carries for 385 yards in 13 games last season. Without him, the Aggies will look to Amari Daniels and Le’Veon Moss to carry the running game. Daniels led the team last season with 532 yards rushing and six touchdowns and Moss added 484 yards.

thE SChEdulE

Texas A&M will be tested early with an Aug. 31 visit from seventh-ranked Notre Dame. Elko was asked if he likes facing a high-caliber team to start the season so he can see how his squad stacks up.

“I’m a football coach,” he said. “I’d like to play no teams of that caliber, but I guess we have to … I think our program is very much aware that we have to be firing on all cylinders the first time we run out of the tunnel.”

No. 11 Missouri (Oct. 5) and No. 13 LSU (Oct. 26) both visit College Station. The most highly anticipated game of the season is the return of the rivalry with SEC newcomer and bitter foe Texas when the fourthranked Longhorns visit Nov. 30.

aranda on hot seat at Baylor, will call plays on d after embracing transfers, nil

By StEPhEn haWKinS ap sports wrIter

Dave Aranda has now fully embraced the transfer portal and paying players in the NIL era. On the field, and on the hot seat after consecutive losing seasons, he is also getting back to what he was doing before he became Baylor’s head coach.

Aranda will take over as the primary defensive play-caller for the Bears, like he was for LSU’s national championship five seasons ago just before becoming a head coach for the first time.

“I think the biggest change is just being involved with football. With myself, I just think I am at my best when I am all the way through a technique or all the way about a scheme, all the way to the depths of it,” said Aranda, who is 23-25 at Baylor. “And then when I come back up, I can speak really strongly about it and I can own it. And then if it don’t look right, I can get mad at it and get it so it’s right.

“And that’s a big change.”

The Bears set a school record with 12 wins in 2021, when they were Big 12 champions and won the Sugar Bowl in Aranda’s second season. They have gone 9-16 since, including a five-game losing streak to end last season, when their 33 points a game allowed were the most in the Big 12, and 10 points a game more than they scored.

nEW on oFFEnSE

The Bears also have a new play-caller on offense with new coordinator Jake Spavital, the Cal OC last year and former Texas State head coach who has installed a much more up-tempo scheme. Among his expected playmakers are two transfers, dual threat quarterback Dequan Finn and Texas State career receiving leader Ashtyn Hawkins, whose first two seasons there were with Spavital. Finn, a three-year starter at Toledo, threw for 2,657 yards with 22 touchdowns, and ran for 563 yards and seven scores last year. Along with returning top receivers Monaray Baldwin (a Shoemaker graduate), Ketron Jackson and Hal Presley, who missed the last half of 2023 because of an injury, the Bears added Nevada speedster Jamaal Ball and Hawkins.

uP Front

The offensive line added four Division I transfers after the Bears ranked 13th in the Big 12 with only 114.8 yards rushing per game and 13 TDs on the ground. They allowed a league-high 34 sacks.

“We had a bunch of young guys playing (last season) ... because I failed to hit the portal the previous year,” Aranda said.

JonES KEEPS going

Matt Jones led the Bears with 82 tackles and 11 1/2 tackles for loss last season, his fifth in Waco. The 6-foot-4, 246-pound linebacker decided to come back, instead of transferring or maybe making himself available for the NFL draft, after Aranda became more involved with the defense.

“I’ve been here so long, I’ve seen the good and the (bad),” Jones said. “This season hasn’t even started

and you can feel the momentum.”

Jones was a freshman during coach Matt Rhule’s final season in 2019, when the Bears made the Big 12 title game.

He became a primary starter during their 2021 championship season.

thE SChEdulE

Baylor opens at home against FCS team Tarleton on Aug. 31, then goes to Big 12 newcomer and No. 12 Utah the next week for a game that won’t count in the conference standings since it was part of a home-and-home series scheduled nearly a decade ago ( the Utes won in Waco last September ). The Bears were 1-7 at home last year, losing all five Big 12 home games. They have four conference home games this year, including No. 17 Oklahoma State and No. 22 Kansas.

Baylor head coach

Dave Aranda walks the sideline during the first half of a Sept. 18, 2021, game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kan.

ap | FIle

Fritz begins first power school job at Houston, which reloaded with transfers to back QB smith

By KriStiE riEKEn ap sports wrIter

HOUSTON — Willie Fritz has won at every stop in a coaching career spanning more than three decades.

Now at Houston, the 64-year-old Fritz faces his biggest challenge yet in his first job at a power conference school. Outside expectations are low for the Cougars, who are entering their second season in the Big 12 and were picked to finish 15th out of 16 teams in a preseason media poll.

Fritz, who won 23 games combined the last two seasons at Tulane, isn’t worried about what anyone outside of the program thinks about his new team.

“Well, we’ve got high expectations ... we want to win every one of these ball games that we play this season,” he said.

That would be a tall task for any team, much less one that lost scores of players to the transfer portal after coach Dana Holgorsen was fired. The team went 4-8 and 2-7 in league play in his fifth year at the school.

Fritz replenished his roster with a bevy of Texas-born players, taking advantage of the depth of the state’s talent pool. He was thrilled to have easy access to recruiting in Texas in his return to the state after spending two years at Georgia Southern and the last eight at Tulane, where he won the second-most games in the school’s 130-season history

Fritz began his head coaching career in Texas at Blinn Junior College and was the coach at Sam Houston State from 2010-13.

“We’re at the epicenter of football in the world, Houston, Texas,” he said. “I love the fact I didn’t have to get on a plane to go recruit. I just

stayed in my car the whole time when I went out recruiting, and there’s plenty of great players throughout the state of Texas.”

ExPEriEnCEd QB

While many of Houston’s starters from last season transferred, the Cougars do return veteran quarterback Donovan Smith.

Smith threw for a career-high 2,801 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last year in his first season in Houston after spending two years at Texas Tech. He added 428 yards rushing with six scores.

He missed spring practice after surgery to repair a torn labrum but is healthy now and ready to build on his work last season. Fritz raved about

the leadership and skills of the 6-foot5, 235-pound Smith.

“He’s a true dual-threat quarterback, which usually you hear that and they do one or the other much better,” Fritz said. “He does an excellent job throwing the ball, one ball, two ball, three ball I kind of call it, and his football IQ is just off the charts.”

Smith will be throwing to a mostly new group of receivers after his top targets from last season transferred. Samuel Brown, who led the team with 815 yards receiving last year, left for Miami and Matthew Golden, who had 404 yards, is now at Texas. Joseph Manjack, whose 577 yards ranked second on the team, remains to lead the group.

gEtting dEFEnSiVE

Defensive back A.J. Haulcy is the top returner on a Cougars’ defense that is looking for a big turnaround. Houston allowed 31.5 points and 424 yards, including 169 yards rushing a game last year.

Haulcy had a team-high 98 tackles and four pass breakups in 2023. Defensive lineman Keith Cooper Jr. followed Fritz from Tulane and will have a chance to make an impact. In three seasons with the Green Wave, Cooper had 69 tackles, including 16 tackles for losses and 10½ sacks.

thE SChEdulE

The Cougars open the season Aug. 31 at home against UNLV before a big test with a trip to No. 16 Oklahoma Sept. 7. A brutal stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents begins Oct. 19 at No. 22 Kansas. Houston will then host No. 12 Utah on Oct. 26 and No. 18 Kansas State on Nov. 2. A bye week comes next before a trip Nov. 15 to face No. 21 Arizona.

Houston quarterback Donovan Smith looks for a receiver during the first half of a Nov. 25, 2023, game against Central Florida in Orlando, Fla.

Frogs certainly don’t want repeat of ’23 after going from title game to losing record

By StEPhEn haWKinS ap sports wrIter

FORT WORTH — TCU safety

Abe Camara and the Horned Frogs certainly don’t want a repeat of last season, when they just never seemed to get over a hangover.

After an undefeated 2022 regular season and appearance in the national championship game, the Horned Frogs lost their much-hyped opener last year at home to Colorado. They dropped five of six Big 12 games during one stretch on the way to a 5-7 record and didn’t even get in a postseason bowl.

“I think compared to that natty year to last year, I think we kind of got caught up with all the lights and stuff and like the pressure of it all,” Camara said. “Everybody wanted us to repeat and go back again. We wanted it, the whole TCU community wanted it, but I think we just got caught up in that aspect of it, and then we lost sight of it.”

Camara said the Frogs took a lot of steps this offseason to refocus and limit distractions. Third-year coach Sonny Dykes believes they are in a good place.

“Certainly didn’t get the carryover from the national championship run in ’22 to ’23 that we wanted to,” Dykes said. “You’re going to look around and see some teams that are really good one year and maybe struggle a little bit the next, and that was certainly us last year, and now we’re ready to get back playing TCU football.”

From 3 to 4

TCU is going away from its primary three-man defensive front with highenergy new coordinator Andy Avalos,

the fired Boise State head coach who installed a 4-2-5 scheme filled with standout players in the middle.

Linebacker Johnny Hodges was the Frogs’ leading tackler in 2022, and is healthy after a lingering hand injury kept him out much of last season, when safety-turned-linebacker Namdi Obiazor had a team-high 84 tackles. TCU also added linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who last year led California with 92 tackles.

“We’ve got a bunch of dudes that can play, that can absolutely fly,”

Hodges said.

taKing thE SnaPS

Josh Hoover took over as TCU’s starting quarterback the final six games as a redshirt freshman last year, averaging 339 yards passing per game and throwing 13 touchdowns in that span.

“He has guts ... we love him,” receiver JP Richardson said. “When he speaks up, it’s out of emotions, it’s out of passion. He’s a guy that everybody can rally to, and that’s really impor-

tant to have as a quarterback.”

Chandler Morris was the starting QB each of TCU’s last two openers before getting hurt both times, but transferred to North Texas with two seasons of remaining eligibility. Ken Seals, who is from nearby Azle, transferred to TCU after 22 starts at Vanderbilt.

rECEiVing targEtS

The Frogs return top receivers Richardson (46 catches, 536 yards, three touchdowns) and Savion Williams (41-473-4). Former LSU transfer Jack Bech, who led the Tigers with 43 receptions as a true freshman in 2021, was a standout in the spring after being hampered by injuries in his TCU debut last year.

Coming homE

NaNa Osafo-Mensah went to a lot of TCU games growing up in Fort Worth. The defensive lineman is home to finish his college career after 37 games the past three seasons at Notre Dame, where he had been since 2019.

“TCU has always been just (the) hometown school for me and the school that really got me to get a vision for college football, start that dream really,” Osafo-Mensah said. “So it’s always been a core part of myself.”

thE SChEdulE

The Horned Frogs open the season Aug. 30 at Stanford, and face another ACC newcomer at Dallas-Fort Worth rival SMU on Sept. 21. They play four Big 12 teams in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, in their first two conference road games (at No. 22 Kansas and No. 12 Utah) and their last two home games (No. 17 Oklahoma State and No. 21 Arizona).

ap | FIle

TCU safety Abe Camara runs up the field during a Sept. 23, 2023, game against SMU in Fort Worth.

morton set as texas tech’s opening day

QB, an injury-plagued role in recent years

LUBBOCK (AP) — Behren Morton enters the season as Texas Tech’s starting quarterback for the first time, while coach Joey McGuire once again hopes an injury doesn’t force a long-term need for the backup.

It’s been seven years since the Red Raiders made it through their schedule unscathed at the most important position.

Morton was among the injured last year as Tyler Shough’s replacement, playing through a shoulder issue that led the coaching staff to shut him down early in spring practice while declaring him the starter.

That was April. Now, Morton is most of the way through fall camp in preparation for the opener Aug. 31 at home against Abilene Christian.

“This is my favorite camp by far,” Morton said. “Being the guy and having full control of the offense has been great. The shoulder’s 100%. I’m not missing a rep. Feel really good.”

Shough never played more than seven games in any of the three seasons he entered as the starter for the Red Raiders. The former Oregon QB transferred to Louisville and is the projected starter there.

Alan Bowman missed multiple weeks each of the three years before Shough, which means Texas Tech goes all the way back to Nic Shimonek in 2017 for the last time the same QB played all 12 regularseason games (Shimonek was the starter in a bowl game that year as well).

McGuire has named West Georgia transfer Cameran Brown the backup, and hinted the Red Raiders might find ways to use the dual-threat QB regardless of Morton’s health.

don’t ForgEt thE run gamE

Tahj Brooks decided to return for a final season after rushing for 1,538 yards in 2023. He is 1,167 yards shy of Byron Hanspard’s school record of 4,219 yards from 1994-96.

While Brooks downplayed the role of money from endorsements and name, image and likeness as the reason for a return, he acknowledged that NFL feedback had him going anywhere from the fifth round of the draft to not getting drafted at all. “I feel like I can come back and be a better Tahj Brooks than I was last year,” Brooks said. “I can put more film on tape, and we can go win games and

hopefully win a Big 12 championship.”

ConFErEnCE ShuFFling

The Red Raiders aren’t in a conference with rival Texas for the first time since 1960, when Texas Tech joined the Southwest Conference. Texas and Oklahoma have moved to the Southeastern Conference.

All but two of the losses in two seasons under McGuire have come before November, which the firsttime college head coach figures has to change with the Red Raiders believing they can win the Big 12 as Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado join to make it a 16-team league.

“That’s the question we’ve been searching throughout this offseason because we played well at home and we played well late,” McGuire said. “To get to a fast start, the great thing is we’ve got five of our first seven games are in Lubbock, Texas, and everybody knows it is a really tough place to play.”

Stud rECruit

Receiver Micah Hudson, who is from Temple in

Tech

passes against California during the Independence Bowl on Dec. 16, 2023, in Shreveport, La.

Central Texas, is a 6-foot freshman with a lot of hype and expected to play right away.

“The ceiling for him, there’s not one,” Morton said. “I’m trying to help him the best I can. It’s a complex offense. Every day is a new 60-play playbook.”

McGuire has noticed the prodding, and lack of coddling.

“Behren has been extremely demanding with Micah,” McGuire said. “It’s fun to watch the interaction in practice. Talking about maturity level, most freshmen could not handle the starting quarterback in their face, saying, ‘This is what was called. This is what we have,’ and respond the way he does.”

thE SChEdulE

The Red Raiders are 3-8 on the road under McGuire, which means visits to No. 21 Arizona, TCU and Iowa State in a four-game stretch starting in early October could go a long way toward determining Texas Tech’s title hopes.

Texas

quarterback Behren Morton

ap | FIle

Smu knows task in return to power conference, looks forward to aCC competition

By SChuylEr dixon ap sports wrIter

DALLAS — SMU coach Rhett Lashlee knows the Mustangs didn’t get any preseason first-place votes for their debut in the Atlantic Coast Conference, nor does he think they should have.

The school is coming off its first league championship since the Pony Express days, in 1984, a boost that should help the Mustangs in their return to a power conference.

Well aware of what’s in store with a week-to-week rhythm that will be more much challenging than the American Athletic Conference, Lashlee is confident just the same.

“We have a new challenge in front of us, and we haven’t done anything,” Lashlee said. “In a good way, yeah, it feels different, but not like everybody is kind of tight. We’re going to find out where we stand. We don’t know. I like our guys, and I’m excited to watch them get to compete with this schedule.”

After the breakup of the Southwest Conference following the 1995 season, SMU bounced across three leagues over the next 28 years, the last 11 in the AAC, capped by a victory in the conference championship game.

Quarterback Preston Stone grew up in Dallas, and his dad went to SMU. He is well aware of the painful past that included the shutdown of the program in 1987 over recruiting violations, the only time the NCAA used the so-called death penalty.

Now Stone is under center for the opening of the era that will put those painful memories to rest for good.

“Obviously, I didn’t live through the glory days,” Stone said. “But I’ve known about the Eric Dickerson, Craig James, Lance McIlhenney days since I was a little kid. It’s really cool how we’re making our way back to that.”

StonE and ComPany

Stone threw for 28 touchdowns with just six interceptions before breaking his left leg in the regularseason finale last season. Backup Kevin Jennings led the Mustangs in the 26-14 victory over Tulane in the AAC championship game before SMU lost to

Boston College, one of the new ACC opponents this year, in the Fenway Bowl. Stone figures to get the call in the opener Saturday night at Nevada.

hurriCanES PiPElinE

The Mustangs have nine Miami transfers on the roster, three of which are new this year. Jaylan Knighton is SMU’s leading returning rusher (745 yards) after leaving the Hurricanes. Former Miami teammate Brashard Smith rejoins him in the running back room this year.

SharE thE WEalth

SMU didn’t have a receiver with more than 528 yards, but had five with at least 425 yards. Three of

those scored at least four touchdowns, led by two returning players with seven apiece in tight end RJ Maryland and receiver Jordan Hudson. Four of the top five in yards receiving are back.

thE SChEdulE

All eyes are on the ACC opener at home against No. 10 Florida State on Sept. 28. The Seminoles, who were left out of the final four-team playoff despite their 13-0 record, could have a 21-game winning streak in the regular season when they visit Dallas. That’s the middle game of a challenging three-week stretch that starts with crosstown rival TCU and ends with Louisville in SMU’s first ACC road game.

lM otero | ap

SMU quarterback Preston Stone smiles during a practice on Aug. 9 in Dallas.