OMAHA-NAPLES, Texas-The Brahmas' goal is clear: Do better than last year.
Paul Pewitt's mantra this season is to do one thing better than the last. The Brahmas went 8-5 and won two playoff games last year. Head coach Ryan Gentry would like to see the team win nine games or three playoff games.
Smash-mouth spread offense best describes Pewitt's offensive attack.
"We are going to try to spread defenses out, motion a lot, and change things up to keep the players on the other side guessing," Gentry said.
Lucas Hungerford, the forerunner for the starting quarterback position, has suave, is smart and is a confident commander, according to Gentry.
"Hungerford knows where everyone is supposed to be, he's tough and he throws the ball really well," the Brahma head coach said. "Hungerford is left-handed and although he lacks size, he runs the ball well."
Labrandon Webster, the 2015 Newcomer of the Year, is the starting running back. Gentry said that Webster, a junior, is as strong as an ox and is faster than any other running back that the Brahmas have had in the last few years. Webster can run through defenders or around them.
Offensive lineman Jovani Zavala, according to Gentry, is one of the best players on the team. Gentry said Zavala is extremely strong, powerful and intelligent. Those three traits make him an excellent football player.
QUICK FACTS
SCHOOL: Paul Pewitt 2015 RECORD: 8-5 HEAD COACH: Ryan Gentry YEARS AT SCHOOL: Second COACHING STAFF: Ryan Gentry (HC), Matt Fisher (OC), August Dobraski (DC), Jared Tucker (OL/DL), Reggie Kumrow (OL/DL), Aaron Clevenger (OL/DL), David Melton (WR/LB), Cedrick Dorsey (WR/DB) LETTERMEN LOST/BACK: 15/12 STARTERS BACK: offense 4, defense 2 PLAYERS TO WATCH: OL Jovani Zavala (6-1, 270, 25 pancake blocks in 2015); WR/DB/Returner Tyshun Mitchell (5-10, 165); RB Labrandon Webster (5-10, 185); WR Love White (6-2, 185); OLB Jonah Hungerford (5-11, 185)Senior Tyshun Mitchell is a triple-threat athlete. In 2015 Mitchell made the All District first team as a receiver, a defensive back and a returner.
"Mitchell is probably our best overall athlete," Gentry said. "He has good skills, great footwork, good body control and is very athletic."
Another go-to wide receiver for Pewitt is senior Love White. White has good size at 6-foot-2 and will create matchup issues for some schools. He also plays basketball, which helps him with his ball and body control. Gentry looks for White to create trouble on the outside, whether it's blocking or breaking free for a pass reception.
"The number-one thing for us to do on offense is to control the line of scrimmage," Gentry said. "On top of that, we're going to play extremely fast; so the faster we play and the better we control the line of scrimmage, the better we'll do this year."
The biggest hurdle for the Brahmas on offense is inexperience. They are returning just four starters on offense. Pewitt has a bunch of players who have some playing experience, but it had to replace every key position on offense.
Gentry had to replace the quarterback, three offensive lineman, and a running back, among others. Yet despite the inexperience, Gentry said that the team's football IQ is higher this year than it was last year.
On defense, Pewitt is going to run a 3-3 stack with the philosophy of being aggressive and playing fast. They are going to try to outrun their opponents' offense and shoot gaps to put pressure on the other team.
"Garrett is extremely intelligent and extremely physical," Gentry said. "When you put those two things together, it makes for a pretty good football player."
While there could be a myriad of different things that Coach Gentry is looking forward to the most, he mostly wants to see the way this team progresses compared with last year's group.
"We've put our kids through situations in which they should have messed up, but they didn't," he said. "That tells me that this is a very intelligent group. I am looking forward to our kids outdoing what other people think they can do."
In order to be district champions, the Brahmas will have to compete with the top two teams in the district, Daingerfield and Hooks. Gentry said that he is satisfied with the way the team is making progress.
"To see this team coming together is one of the coolest things to see," he said. "We have come together for practices and everyone is on the same page at this point.
"I don't have any kids that are being selfish, and they have one goal in mind-do better than last year. If they keep jelling like we think they will, I think that we are going to be successful."