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Westlake Chaps win 2019 6A DIV II State Title

Written by River Tompkins on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Two teams would enter only one would emerge victorious as the 6A DII Texas UIL Football State Championship was underway with the Westlake Chaparrals taking on the Denton Guyer Wildcats. Both teams had risen to the top of their division due to their physicality and run game and both were prepared to out-muscle and out-work the other. In a surprise upset Westlake shut out Denton Guyer 24-0 in a game with many twists and turns.

Both teams are no strangers to the big lights at AT&T stadium with a combined total of 13 championship appearances including tonight. Guyer won its two titles back-to-back in 2012 and 2013. While Westlake’s victories were much further apart with one in 1996 and the other in 2019. Coincidentally, Denton is 0-2 against the Dodge family (Todd Dodge – Westlake and Riley Dodge – Southlake Carroll) this season and 14-0 against everyone else.

“There’s no doubt that they are ready to play. They’re ready to go after a state championship and we’ve got a tremendous opponent in front of us, but we’re gonna have fun tonight,” said Westlake head coach Todd Dodge of his team.

“On the way here, I wore the Drew Brees jersey that Sam wore in the Sugar Bowl, the Westlake one. I kinda got in my mojo, but it’s awesome. When I was a freshman, I was behind [Ehlinger], and it’s really cool to have him here and have him watch us win state,” said Westlake quarterback Kirkland Michaux.

Westlake received to start the game and as they always did they looked to assert their physical dominance. Starting off with two straight power runs it proved unfruitful as the wildcats matched the Chaps physicality. Westlake than took to the air and exploited a defensive weakness as Westlake quarterback Kirkland Michaux would complete a series of passes, 18-yards, 35-yards, 11-yards, and a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jake Misch who was wide open in the end zone.

Guyer electrified the crowd as their speedy kick returner brought the ball all the way to the house. However a flag was thrown and it was called back due to holding, the fans excitement soared then plummeted. The Wildcats would have to slog it out getting down field as they went through three 4th down conversions. They then suffered a major casualty with the loss of star quarterback Eli Stowers due to injury. Stowers, a four-star recruit committed to Texas A&M is reported to have torn the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in his left knee. With Wildcat fans shocked, silent and heartbroken, freshman qb Jackson Arnold bravely took the field. Arnold whose hands were visibly shaking, understandably having been thrown in to the un-fillable shoes of Stowers, attempted his his first throw, which was intercepted by defensive back Michael Taffe in the end zone.

The game from here on out would be a defensive one. Guyer continued that trend forcing Westlake into a three and out. Jackson Arnold would than fumble the snap and get sacked on the ensuing play by Westlake defensive end Austin McClendon once again forcing them to punt.


Denton Guyer got the ball back after a Westlake punt and star running back Kaedrick Cobb went to work weaving and juking his way through defenders for a pickup of 26-yards. Than the pressure came as Westlake defensive back Michael Taff came roaring into the pocket and dropped Arnold for a loss.

Westlake would put together a long drive aided by 4th down conversions and somewhat lucky penalties. The highlight was a 10-yard catch by Ryan Lindley and Kirkland Michaux being sacked in the backfield by Dotun Olanipekun. Then on 4th&18 from the 33-yard line the Chaps went for it, what seemed to be a terrible decision was in motion. Michaux rolled out to his left and fired a missile down field to Mason Magnum for a 33-yard score. The Westlake fans erupted.

Guyer would intercept Michaux’s pass before halftime but nothing would result. Westlake did everything fairly well in the first half, they were lock-down on defense and the passing game was roaring, the number one thing was to get Zane Minors going. For Denton Guyer it was about getting the offense going, especially through the air, they had 15 passing yards through the third quarter and that would simply not due against a strong Westlake defense.

Coach Dodge had this to say going in to halftime,”We’re not running the ball well enough right now. We’re making some explosive plays in the passing game. We got to do a better job of protecting the quarterback, the second half. Got to get a little bit more out of our run game.”

Coming out of halftime Guyer quarterback Jackson Arnold just did not want to be pummeled by players 100 pounds heavier than him. Sadly, his wish did not come true. On the first drive he was sacked twice by Austin McClendon and Will McConnell. The Guyer defense would continue to generate pressure on the quarterback but it was no help as the offense was essentially a stationary turret that was out of bullets and the secondary was a piece of armor that was hit one too many times.


Westlake took advantage of this as Kirkland Michaux found a wide open Jackson Coker down the field for a 39-yard touchdown. Westlake put the game on cruise control only scoring a field goal from there on out, but still managing to stay on top. 

Westlake defensive back Henry Smogur would get an interception putting him in company with Michael Taffe (1 int, 1 sack) who won defensive MVP. Michaux completed 20 passes for 285-yards and won the offensive MVP of the championship. His favorite target was Ryan Lindley (7-65) who went out with a hand injury as well as Mason Mangum (3-79-1).

“We have a very physical football team,” said Dodge when asked about the physicality of his players. “We have a bunch of kids that the worst thing that can happen to them is, to come to video on Saturday morning and have their team see them being soft or less than physical or giving less than great effort and that’s such a great peer pressure in our locker room.”

Westlake held their opponents to a scoreless game with a 24-0 victory. Westlake brings the title back home to Westlake/Austin which has not been done since their first state championship trophy in 1996, known as the Drew Brees era. After being eliminated multiple times by North Shore (2019 6A D1 state champion) they finally brought one back, symbolizing a banner year for Todd Dodge where he achieved 200 career wins and a Texas 6A DII State Championship.

“What a tremendous job that they’ve done all year long and I just, I am so happy. I’m so happy about the state championship,”commented Dodge on his team’s victory.

Jackson Coker had this to say about the team’s journey,”It’s unbelievable. This is something you know we’ve been working for, you know some of these guys I’ve been friends with since I was about two years old, and just to come out here and play the way we played is just, I’m at a loss, it’s unbelievable. It means everything, you know, we have a tradition of winning and I’m just glad that we could come out and uphold that to the potential that you know we held ourselves at.”

Northshore Mustangs victorious over Duncanville.

Written by River Tompkins on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

A rematch. A battle. A fight. This is the 2019 Texas UIL Football State Championships at AT&T stadium in Arlington. Two teams would face off in front of 47,818 fans, winner take all including the title best 6A DI football team in Texas, the pressure was on. The North Shore Mustangs took on the Duncanville Panthers in a match up to remember. This time just a year ago these teams went head-to-head in the state championship with North Shore throwing a Hail Mary in the final seconds to win the game. If there were any doubts of who the dominant team is, North Shore erased them when they won 31-17 over the Panthers.

Up to this point, both teams had taken on tough advisories with Duncanville stampeding through Southlake Carrol and Rock Wall while North Shore sailed past Lake Travis and Katy. Combined the teams had a point differential of 1054 points.

Duncanville received to start the game, as a redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Parson would lead the Panthers out in his first-ever start, filling in for the injured Ja’quinden Jackson who was out with a torn ACL. The Panthers immediately asserted the running game as junior running back Rodrick Daniels cut up the defense for a 16-yard gain. The freshman quarterback would not keep up as Parson’s next two passes were incomplete forcing a Panthers punt.


The Panthers made a field goal in the dying seconds of the first half tying the game up 17-17. Both teams needed to step it up in the passing game. To this point North Shore only had 27 passing yards and if you took the giant 62-yard pass away from Duncaville they had 29 passing yards. Yes running wins games but you need to be able to pick up the 3rd and longs.

Coming out of halftime it was anybody’s game, both teams still fighting for the crown of best team in Texas and both doing it without their biggest offensive play makers. The Panthers would fold under the pressure straight out of the gate as their punter fumbled the snap, than recovered it and fumbled again. North Shore recovered at Duncanville’s 20-yard line.

After Mustang reciter Syncere Green made 14-yard on a catch Rodger Hagan would capitalize with a 1-yard running touchdown. Roger Hagan took it upon himself to pick up the slack with Zachary Evans out, through the first three quarters Hagan had 87-yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Duncanville followed with yet another slip up as freshman quarterback Chris Parson tried to fight for more yardage but ended up putting the ball on the turf. Luckily for them North Shore was unable to do anything with the ball just giving it right back. The Panthers would come so close once again but every time they would fall just short. A pivotal moment on 4th&1 the Panthers were stuffed on the goaline turning the ball over to the Mustangs.

North Shore knowing it would be a slug-out did the same thing asserting their ground game with four straight runs amassing a total of 27-yards. Dual threat quarterback Demetrius Davis would than scramble out of the backfield following his blockers and using pure athleticism to earn him a 30-yard touchdown run.



“We’ve been running the ball the last couple weeks really well, so that was the game plan – to make sure we came out and got the run game going”, said North Shore offensive coordinator Willie Gaston.

Duncanville would not change its ways, they were committed to the ground game and it would stay that way. The Panthers would run the ball six times for 28-yards relaxing any nerves the young quarterback had. Parson would than find Rodrick Daniels on a flat route, after an electric juke he burst up field for 11-yards setting up Daniels for his own 25-yard TD run to tie the game up.

If you did not get the sense already you will get it now, this was a ground and pound game. By halftime both teams were over 100-yards rushing while both attempted under 10 passes. North Shore would march down field aided by an offsides penalty on 4th down, they gradually moved downfield thanks to their running game, North Shore would than settle for a field goal.

Duncanville would get the ball and as they had all season they would be electric. Starting with a 23-yard run by Roderick Daniels who was leapfrogging over defenders. Than a spectacular catch by Marquelan Crowell who mossed the defender on a 34-yard gain. The drive would be capped off by a 6-yard quarterback keeper.

North Shore running back Roger Hagan scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. All the while fans were noticing the absence of 5-star running back Zachary Evans who was nowhere to be seen. North Shore head coach Jon Kay would not go in to detail on reports that Evans had been held out due to disciplinary reasons and would not play in the game.



“We talked about in our staff meeting about just kind of some third quarter woes that we’ve had here recently and I think a lot of the fingers get pointed to the defensive side but the reality is we’ve had huge special teams errors that have put us in bad positions we’ve had turnovers on offense that have put us in bad positions so it was a collective discussion about what we can be doing better coming out of the third quarter and you know we met long and hard on that as a staff to try and make some adjustments which you know I give credit to our coaches the fact that, you know, here we are heading into our second state championship game and, they’re still searching for ways to improve and take the next step,” said North Shore head coach John Kay when asked about his goal line stop.

“Again I think that leadership spills over into our kids. Our defense has been much maligned lately, all of a sudden people feel like North Shore forgot how to play defense because we’ve been playing some explosive offenses. In situational football sometimes you step back and allow some things to happen, knowing that you know, what difference does it make if you win by seven or if you win by 57 when you’re talking about the postseason, that’s just the nature of the beast.

“To see those kids come out in the second half, and shut out an offense, like Duncanville. The kid [Ja’quinden Jackson] is phenomenal, they’re dripping with talent and they’re extremely well coached. For these kids to come together and make those adjustments and execute on the largest stage, I think, all the credit goes to them and coaches,” said John Kay.


At this point in the second half both teams were having trouble holding onto the ball as North Shore was once again forced to fumble giving the Panthers yet another chance to intrude on their one score lead. Duncanville had seemingly no offense whatsoever as they were forced to punt again.

This time the Panthers would not be let off the hook as Davis found receiver Charles King wide open in the end zone for a 44-yard touchdown to give the Mustangs a two score lead. The Panthers would try to comeback but all attempts were futile as North Shore’s defense was just too dominant.   

The Mustangs claimed a clear victory with a win of 31-17 in a game decided by turnovers. A win that also marked the start of a dynasty. North Shore has won two state championships in a row and will bring star quarterback Demtrius Davis back for his senior year as the Mustangs look to make it a three-peat.

Wimberley QB Cooper McCollum

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Not many folks outside the halls of Wimberley High School thought the Texans would end up playing for a Class 4A Division II championship this season.

But senior quarterback Cooper McCollum has been confident in his team’s ability all season. In fact, the signal caller has been planning on a special 2019 campaign since before Wimberley sewed up a spot in the playoffs.

“We actually had to turn in goals for our team — we had to turn in three goals — and one of mine was to be the leader of a team that’s remembered,” McCollum said in mid-October. “We don’t want to be a team people forget. We want to get our name written in stone up on the state champs wall so when they walk in, they see our name first and they know we mean business.”

McCollum has since raised his game to a new level while helping the Texans’ offense become even more unstoppable. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound senior came into the state title game having already accounted for over 4,000 yards of total offense and 61 touchdowns.

They key for McCollum and the Texans has been balance. Not only can McCollum torch an opposing defense with his arm, but he’s shown the ability to keep plays alive with his feet until his wide receivers gain separation down the field.

McCollum has plenty of weaponry at his disposal, as Wimberley’s receiving corps is made up of seven players who have collected 10 or more receptions. The leader of the pack is junior Christian Marshall, who has used his 6-foot-3 frame to haul in 61 passes for 1,282 yards and 18 TDs prior to the state championship matchup against Pleasant Grove.

Juniors Josh Limely (628 yards, 11 TDs) and Jaxon Watts (692 yards, seven TDs) are also prime targets, as is senior Kolby Goforth (287 yards, TD).

Wimberley also has a solid running back in Moses Wray, who excels at getting the tough yards that help set up the Texans’ play-action passing game. Wray’s 1,223 yards and 15 scores force defenses to stay honest when attempting to game plan for Wimberley.

Of course, it hasn’t been smooth sailing the whole way for McCollum and the Texans. The quarterback was forced to leave Wimberley’s 42-14 loss to Navarro with an injury that he sustained with his team holding a two-touchdown lead.

However, that type of adversity has only led to bigger and better performances down the line. Since the postseason began, McCollum has thrown for 1,320 yards and 19 TDs, including five each in back-to-back weeks against Navarro and Silsbee.

The Texans punished Navarro 42-12 in their playoff rematch, and it looked as though McCollum was going to lead another rout in the state semifinals against Silsbee. As it turned out, Wimberley needed all five of his scores versus the Tigers, as Silsbee made a late comeback to pull within six in the fourth quarter.

The Texans once held a 49-16 lead in that game, but McCollum never showed any panic. Instead, he did what he does best — get the ball in the hands of his playmakers on the outside as Wimberley prevailed 56-43 to punch its ticket back to state for the first time since 2011.

“I wasn’t scared,” McCollum said. “I know who we are, and I knew we’d execute when it mattered the most.”

North Shore too much for Cavs 2nd year in a row.

Written by Steven Ryan on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

The final score didn’t come close to telling the whole story of Galena Park North Shore’s 49-38 win against Lake Travis Saturday at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in the Class 6A Div. I State Semifinal in Round Rock, TX. A year after getting run off the field by the same team in the same round of the playoffs, Lake Travis scored 35 second-half points to give North Shore a legit scare before falling valiantly in the end.

The Cavs return to the field in the second half and despite being down 28-3 made a valiant effort to come back but, Galena Park North Shore’s 49-38 win against Lake Travis was too much for the Cavs Saturday at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in the Class 6A Div. I State Semifinal in Round Rock, TX

“What a great response by our kids,” said Lake Travis coach Hank Carter. “Football coaches get up there and they talk about being resilient and mentally tough, and I think a lot of people that don’t get it would say that’s just a bunch of coach speak. But this is what it’s about. The way our kids came together and our coaching staff got together with the kids at halftime, made some adjustments, and we fought and clawed. We at least made them nervous and that’s more than we did a year ago. They’re a great team. They’re very well-coached. They’re extremely talented, and they’re very deserving of the victory. But I’m very proud with how our kids responded.”

The big mystery at the start of the game concerned North Shore senior running back Zach Evans, who was nowhere to be seen at kickoff. The 5-star prospect who is almost universally considered the No. 1 tailback in the country was taking the SAT and didn’t check in until the final minute of the first half. Once he finally got on the field, he showed exactly why he’s sought after by almost every major college football program in the country by rushing for 169 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries

His absence, however, wasn’t much of an issue for North Shore’s offense in the first half. Instead of giving it to Davis, the Mustangs handed the ball off to senior Roger Hagan, who rumbled for 117 yards on 22 totes. Junior quarterback Demetrius Davis was also dialed in. He finished with 234 total yards (125 passing, 109 rushing) and four total touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) as North Shore built a 28-3 halftime lead.

“They went to the bullpen and brought out a guy (Hagan) throwing 105 miles an hour,” Carter said. “The Evans kid is tremendous and everyone obviously knows about him. I think, to me, though, the guy that makes them unique and special is their quarterback. He runs the ball as good as any running back that I’ve seen and he’s making great decisions with the football and he’s throwing it on the money. Coach Kay does an excellent job with his team and they played like champions tonight.”

Lake Travis never found a way to truly stop North Shore’s ground game as the Mustangs rushed for just a shade under 400 yards, but the Cavs’ offense got into a groove in the second half and almost sparked an incredible comeback. After throwing for just 26 yards on the first half, senior quarterback Hudson Card left it all out on the field after the break and finished with 357 total yards (290 passing, 67 rushing) and three total touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing). 

His determination shined on Lake Travis’s final two drives. With the Cavs trailing by 25 in the fourth quarter, Card broke off an electric 28-yard scoring run where he fought through arm tackles, reversed the field against one of the fastest defenses in the state, and successfully dove for the pylon as a Mustang play tried dragging him down. On the next possession, he made eyes almost pop out of their sockets as he seemed wrapped up by the North Shore pass rush, only to break free, tip-toe the sideline, and complete a 26-yard pass that set up a three-yard touchdown run by Weston Stephens.

“Early on I think they were getting a little bit of pressure on us so we’re probably holding on to the ball for just a little bit longer than we needed to,” Carter said. “They were covering us well. Again, credit to North Shore. But he settled in, made some great plays. I told him on the one that he scored there, ‘oh man, I guess you still can run.’ And he’s doing all that on probably about 50 percent of how his foot oughta work.”

Lake Travis also recovered an onside kick and forced two second-half turnovers to keep hope alive. The first turnover was a leaping interception by sophomore defensive back DJ Johnson, who went up and snagged a hard pass in zone coverage that Davis thought he could get over him. There was also a fumble out of the end zone. And, of course, senior wide receiver Kyle Eaves, who did as much as anybody to keep the Cavs alive with eight catches for 155 yards and a touchdown.

High School Football: A Texas Tradition

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

A former South Texas sports editor who had recently moved to the Lone Star State from Arizona stepped into the press box on an idyllic Friday night and sat awestruck as the scene overwhelmed him.

Both sides of the bleachers were packed to the gills, and marching bands in full regalia took their designated place in the stands as cheerleaders, twirlers and dance team members spilled onto the field in single file.

Members of the student spirit crew exchanged gifts at midfield prior to the coin toss, but even before the kickoff, it was clear the young man was busy taking in every aspect of the scene unfolding below. 

“I guess Texas high school football is everything they say it is,” he remarked.

More reports came in from him over the coming months as he got a true taste of the state’s passion for all things gridiron-related. It was enough to realize that something most writers and fans take for granted is truly extraordinary.

And it wasn’t even the playoffs yet.

Yes, it’s that magical time of year when the match-ups become even more meaningful. Legends are born in the postseason, and if your team is lucky enough to capture a state championship, a small piece of immortality comes along with it.

Perhaps Liberty Hill head coach Jeff Walker said it best when he remarked, “Teams to remember play in December.”

Besides doing his best Dr. Seuss impersonation, Walker knows what it takes to run the gauntlet known as the playoffs. So does Lake Travis’ Hank Carter, for that matter.

Those coaches know that the postseason has its own mystique, and that no opponent is to be taken lightly. Since the format expanded to take four teams per district, there have been some memorable upsets every season. It’s unavoidable given the fact that 692 do-or-die games are played during the span of one postseason.

Just last season, Richardson Pearce, a 36-point underdog, took down Cedar Hill in the first round.

Forget March Madness. These are the real bracket busters.

As the final few Austin-area teams continue their march toward glory, the weather will turn colder and the smack talk on message boards throughout the state with undoubtedly heat up. It’s like Christmas come early, except without the cheap gift from your least favorite aunt.

So no matter how your favorite college or pro team is faring at the moment, keep an eye on the biggest ongoing tournament in the state. Who knows? The next Vince Young, Baker Mayfield or Drew Brees could very well be on their way to AT&T Stadium to compete for one of the state’s biggest prizes.

LT Cavs won the State Title in December of 2016 at AT&T Stadium. Photo Texas Sports Monthly

When the smoke has finally cleared, a dozen teams will remain standing. When the postseason began, that number was 704.

So good luck to those still attempting to hoist a state championship trophy in Arlington. And to those who have already moved on to the next sport?It’s only eight more months until two-a-days arrive.

Texas Basketball 2019

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in NCAA BASKETBALL.

Every school has expectations, but the ones in Austin remain as high as the Texas sky.

Just ask Rick Barnes.

Longhorns men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart will find out exactly how tough it is to coach on the hot seat this season after Texas won the NIT a year ago to salvage a topsy-turvy 2018-19 campaign. There’s only one acceptable tournament to be invited to this time around — the Big Dance in March.

Smart himself acknowledged that fact last March, and UT athletic director Chris Del Conte echoed the sentiment even after the Longhorns won the NIT, saying “we’re not where we want to be, but we’re making progress.”

Texas pulled in another solid crop of recruits this year after snagging three of the top 75 prospects in the nation — shooting guard Donovan Williams, center Kai Jones and homegrown product Will Baker, who played center for Westlake while rising up the ranks to become the No. 35 overall recruit in the country.

Baker is expected to start at center this season, while Williams and Jones have opportunities to work their way into valuable roles.

The Longhorns’ starting lineup for 2019-20 is also projected to include guards Matt Coleman and Courtney Rainey, who averaged 9.8 and 8.1 points per game last year, respectively. Coleman, who was the only Texas player to start all 37 games a season ago, added 3.4 assists per outing and was the lone Longhorn to earn preseason acclaim from the Big 12 after taking home honorable mention.

Rainey returns after shooting a team-best 38.6% from beyond the 3-point arc and proving to be another capable scorer. The same can be said for wing player Jase Febres, who knocked down 37.2% of his 3s while putting in 8.9 points per contest.

Jericho Sims is expected to lock down the starting power forward spot and has shown plenty of athleticism during his time on the 40 Acres. Sims has even drawn comparisons to current NBA players Mo Bamba and Jaxson Hayes, but he still has to show that he can turn potential into reality.

The biggest fan favorite on the team will undoubtedly be guard Andrew Jones, who touched the hearts of many Longhorn fans as he took time off to battle Leukemia last season. Jones was cleared to return to basketball activities in early August, and his comeback story will be one of the best in all of college hoops.

Meanwhile, wing player Gerald Liddell and big man Kamaka Hepa will likely fight for minutes as reserves.

Texas was picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 during the preseason coaches’ poll behind Kansas — no surprise there — Baylor and Texas Tech. Bringing up the rear were West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Kansas State and TCU.

But before the Longhorns begin conference play on Jan. 4. 2020, Texas will look to navigate an early portion of the schedule that includes games against Purdue, Georgetown and Providence. The Longhorns and Aggies will even reprise their old rivalry on the hardwood during a Dec. 8 meeting in Fort Worth for the Lone Star Showdown.

Smart should be able to get away with a loss to a rival here or there, though. After all, this isn’t football. But it’s still Texas, and another season without March Madness will be viewed as a colossal failure.

Read September Edition

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in TEXAS SPORTS, UT FOOTBALL.

FOOTBALL IS BACK! After a great year for the Texas Longhorns and a deep run in the State High School Playoffs for several local teams in central Texas, we dig right in to the ACTION! Dallas Cowboys and Texans revamp for playoff runs this season. Listen to our new RADIO SHOW on 104.9 THE HORN FM as THE FRIDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN RETURNS 6:30-7:15pm every Friday Night. Take a look at our preview edition and reserve your ad space this season!

Texas. LSU

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in TEXAS SPORTS, UT FOOTBALL.

For fans of college football, the spicy Sept. 7 matchup between Texas and LSU in Austin is a can’t-miss clash of two storied programs looking to challenge the status quo and end the conference championship reigns of both Oklahoma and Alabama.

But only one side will be able to seize the inside track to a possible berth in the College Football Playoff — assuming, of course, that both the Longhorns and Tigers take care of business during the opening week.

Texas is loaded with top-tier returnees like quarterback Sam Ehlinger, wide receiver Collin Johnson and safeties Caden Sterns and Brandon Jones. The offensive line looks as reliable as it has in years, as left tackle Sam Cosmi, center Zach Shackelford and guard Parker Braun, a Georgia Tech transfer, all have the potential to be All-Big 12 performers.

The Longhorns also have plenty of play-making ability in the backfield with running backs Keontay Ingram and fantastic freshman Jordan Whittington of Cuero, who has already been seeing reps at multiple positions. Wide receivers Devin Duvernay and John Burt have the afterburners to break free from most defensive backs — and Texas’ power running game will only create more space down the field.

Defensively, there are plenty of fresh faces along the front seven, including defensive tackle Keondre Coburn, defensive end Ta’Quon Graham and linebacker Ayodele Adeoye. Coburn and Adeoye are each redshirt freshmen. 

The Longhorns’ secondary still features hard-hitting sophomore safety/nickelback B.J. Foster, but corners Jalen Green and Anthony Cook will see a big jump in playing time as sophomores. 

Historically, breaking in a new set of defensive backs against LSU would mean preaching the importance of run support over covering receivers in open space, but the Tigers are determined to break free from their plodding style that has produced such notable rushers as Leonard Fournette, Derrius Guice, Jeremy Hill and Spencer Ware.

LSU hired former New Orleans Saints coach Joe Brady to revamp the passing game, and he’s brought a more wide open style that Big 12 fans are no doubt used to by now. The Tigers may use some run-pass options with quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been running the spread since middle school.

Burrow has a legitimate No. 1 target in receiver Justin Jefferson, and the tandem of running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and freshman John Emery Jr. — the nation’s No. 2-ranked RB prospect — will fight for carries until a clear pecking order is developed.

LSU will definitely be a handful, even for a Longhorns team brimming with confidence and looking as though they have the key ingredients to turn another major corner in 2019. The Tigers welcome back 15 total starters this season, including eight on defense, where LSU is notoriously stingy.

Defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence is a major disruptor at the point of attack and was named last season’s Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP. Thankfully, the Tigers lost a major impact player at linebacker in 2018 Butkus Award winner Devin White, but true to form, LSU has athletes all over the field.

The Tigers possess a standout safety of their own in Grant Delpit, who is an early favorite to earn All-American honors this year. 

Texas QB Sam Ehlinger is fired up after completing a rushing touchdown against the Sooners in the 2018 Big 12 Championship game last December.

LSU went 10-3 last season and defeated Central Florida 40-32 in the Fiesta Bowl. Texas was 10-4 in 2018 and upset Georgia 28-21 in the Sugar Bowl. Both teams will likely enter the 2019 campaign ranked in the top 10 in the nation.

Bottom line, it should be an interesting and competitive early-season matchup. The home field advantage will be with the Longhorns, who are scheduled to play their first two games within the friendly confines of DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium.

Texas had better use that advantage while it still can. Next season, the home-and-home series shifts to one of the toughest places to play in all of sports — Death Valley in Baton Rouge. 

10 Yard Penalty: Improper Hydration

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

By Coach James Bills

As football season approaches many high school players are preparing themselves for the gridiron. Student athletes are getting ready to start two-a-days by running and lifting weights. Kids are getting in to see their doctors and getting physicals per the UIL and NCAA rules. However, many now days are just crawling out of the cave or what is actually their bedroom where they have spent most of their summer drinking sodas, eating junk and building up finger muscles from playing video games. And all this while wearing headphones cussing out guys as old as 30 yr olds that still live in their parents’ basement.  

The problem is we expect them to jump up and put on heavy gear and go running out on a football field in 105 degree weather and compete.  Compete with guys that eat and sleep the game.  Compete with multiple sport athletes that play baseball, run track and play pick up basketball or actually play with their high school. I am not saying they shouldn’t play.  Im saying they shouldn’t play like that.  

 It is up to us as parents to make better decisions on their extracurricular activities in summer.  It is up to the parent to not coddle these kids and not allow them to binge on junk food and sugar loaded drinks if they are planning to take that field in August.  Limit that time or risk that chance where your kid may not be acclimated in life threatening temperatures.  Everyone loves to point to the coaches failure of hydrating the kids during practice properly but many never talk about how the parents should have seen to it that their kids drank more than Coke or Pepsi and ate more than popcorn all week.  

Every year the volume of injuries on the football field goes up. The number of deaths that could have been avoided does too. The temperatures are the same as when we were kids.  Technology and rules are better.  More questions are raised with often more rules being established. The ignorance is mind boggling.  Just look at the kids with lack of time out in the summer weather.  

As a baseball coach and former multiple sport athlete, I remember being prepared come football season because I spent most of my summer out in the heat.  I had a job most of the time not indoors and spent most of the week playing homerun derby and tackle football at the park. When I strapped that football helmet on I actually felt like a sissy considering I had spent most of my summer with busted lips and bloody noses from getting closed line running a ball.  

Ultimately, it is up to you as a parent to see to it that your kid is prepared for that first day.  When you boil that new mouth piece for him for football season and its the first time he has tasted water for the whole summer, just know that all the equipment in the world can’t protect him from dehydration.  

Coach James Bills, President of Texas Pitching Coaches Association, is a former high school and college coach.  Coach Bills has been a professional scout for 8 years as well as has trained 100’s of college and professional athletes.  He is also the owner of The University of Baseball located in Leander Texas and a managing partner with Silverstone Sports Management out of LA.     Podcast: In Your Face Sports

Email: jbills3750@gmail.com

TEXAS vs.OU

Written by Steven Ryan on . Posted in TEXAS SPORTS, UT FOOTBALL.

The Red River Rivalry captivated the nation last year with two classic games that helped shape the College Football Playoff picture. No American sport holds its rivalries in higher esteem than college football, but the attention given to each rivalry ebbs and flows with the success of the teams involved.

Miami/Florida St. and Florida/Tennessee are two rivalries that were a major deal in the 90s and early 2000s but nowadays don’t generate many headlines outside their regions. Texas/OU went through a similar lull as the Longhorns suffered through “The Lost Decade” from 2009-17.

But with Texas coming off its biggest bowl win since 2007, and Oklahoma riding high with four straight conference titles, the high stakes are back on. The Red River Rivalry is big-time once again, just as it’s supposed to be.

Texas holds the upper hand in the overall series 62-47-5 much thanks to a commanding lead it built up in the early years. The Longhorns captured 29 of the first 43 match-ups, with two of those non-wins being ties.

Oklahoma then dominated much of the 1950s with nine wins in ten tries from 1948-57 and three national championships under Hall of Fame coach Bud Wilkinson. But Texas retook control with its own legendary coach in Darrell Royal, who led the Longhorns to 12 victories in 13 years from 1958-70, including three national titles of his own.

Since then, the rivalry has been more a back-and-forth affair. Last year’s chapter was especially noteworthy as it was the first time the two neighbors had played twice in the same season since 1903, and neither game was short on drama.
In the traditional regular season game at the Cotton Bowl, Oklahoma overcame a 21-point fourth quarter deficit to tie the game in the final minutes. But Texas, seemingly unfazed, marched right back down the field and got a last-second field goal from Cameron Dicker to win.

Two months later, they met in the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time. With OU playing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, the Sooners prevailed in a 39-27 win that was much closer than the final score would indicate.

Going into this year, tensions are high. Both teams look to be national title contenders and former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield even called out current Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger during the off-season.

“He couldn’t beat Lake Travis (Mayfield’s high school alma-mater), so I don’t really care (about) his opinion on winning,” Mayfield said. “Westlake (Ehlinger’s high school alma-mater) is a great program, but the two best quarterbacks to come out of there are Drew Brees and Nick Foles. Sam can stay down there in Texas.”

“That will stir the pot. He doesn’t like me, and I hope he knows I don’t like him either.”

Ehlinger has yet to retort publicly and probably won’t, but everyone knows he’s not one to back down from a challenge. He’s got the same swag and confidence Mayfield has, along with a deep love for his university that was instilled in him as a child.

“I will make it my mission to never let this team or this school feel this disappointment again,” Ehlinger said after the Big 12 Championship Game loss.

If both teams can take care of business with the early parts of their schedules, all eyes will again be on Dallas when the two rivals hook up for the 115th edition of the series on Oct. 12.

Like always, the Cotton Bowl crowd will be split at the fifty-yard-line, half crimson, half burnt orange. It’ll be a sight to behold. If you’re a Texas or OU fan, it’s a game you have to go to at least once, and there might not be a better year to attend than 2019.