The Audible | Texas High will rely on returning defense, growth

(Photo by Kevin Sutton)
(Photo by Kevin Sutton)

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a story from the 2019 football preview "The Audible." This story is being released now and a story for the remaining two city schools - Liberty-Eylau and Pleasant Grove - will be released each day until the 104-page magazine comes out Sunday. Arkansas High's preview, which was released on Wednesday, can be found here.)

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TEXARKANA, Texas - Texas High returns a plethora of starters on defense, and the Tigers will depend heavily on the growth of a talented junior class to grab success in 2019.

After graduating 36 seniors from the roster, the Tigers will feature youth when they kick off the season Thursday against Pflugerville Hendrickson at Waxahachie. The growth and development of the juniors and seniors over the first four weeks could play a crucial role in the District 7-5A, Division I season, which begins at John Tyler on September 27.

"Last year, we faced new opponents and a new (district) schedule," third-year Texas High head coach Gerry Stanford said. "This year, it will be closer to last season, and we're hoping our kids understand what we're walking into, the familiarity of who we're playing, and what Friday nights and Thursday nights are going to look like. We've been trying to instill over the last 9 months that we've been through this now, we know what it's going to look like, and so we laid out our preparation from December to August what needed to do to be competitive when we walk into a game like that."

Texas High finished 3-7 in a new district than what the team has not traditionally played. With the mix of several metroplex teams, the Tigers finished sixth and missed the playoffs.

"We've got a youthful team, with a lot of energy; that's our biggest attribute right now," Stanford said. "We've got a lot of guys who play football for the right reasons, and they've got a lot of energy to go out and prepare to be able to play at a high level. The little things are what we're wanting to improve upon."

 

OFFENSE

Receiver Kobe Webster is one of four returning starters on offense for Texas High.

"Kobe's had a tremendous offseason and, back in the spring, track season," Stanford said. "He's one of our seniors, along with Eric Poe and Tracy Cooper, who have shown leadership; Those three have played the most snaps for us. They've done a good job of setting the tone for us back during the summer, in our workouts, of being consistent and working hard. We needed kids to respond to active, positive leadership, and our kids had. They've got some goals in mind, and it's going to take them jelling around each other."

Joining Poe on the offensive line, will be Demarcus Day, Bailey Logan, Collin Shelly and Hayden Harrell.

Cooper is expected to be the workhorse at tailback, and he will be spelled by sophomore Braylon Stewart. Vontray Anderson will also add depth at running back.

Rian Cellars moves from receiver to quarterback for his junior season.

"Rian's really our go-to guy; we've put a lot of stock into him, and he's really bought into the position," Stanford said. "He's a tremendous athlete in what all he offers to a football team. We'll back him up with some younger guys."

Junior Zane Dodson and sophomore Brayson McHenry will help at quarterback.

With Kobe being a big-play threat at receiver, Caden Miller is also expected to add to the receiving corps. Clayton Smith will help on offense at tight end, and junior Trey Roberts also is working into the mix at receiver.

 

DEFENSE

The Tigers return seven starters and even more who saw significant playing time on defense last fall.

"We've got a lot of experience, and we'll rely on that experience to be better defensively," Stanford said. "Most of those guys got reps at one point or another; we started a lot of sophomores on that side. They're still young guys, but they've all got a lot of reps under their belt."

Smith, who played outside linebacker as a sophomore, will be able to play at a defensive end position, as well as helping the linebacking corps.

Jalen Green is another junior, returning at defensive end.

On the interior of the line, senior Devaunte Jack and junior Christian Surratt are back at tackles.

Anderson is a junior linebacker who started last season. Guy Johnson and Jackson Halter will add to the depth at linebacker, as can Stewart.

"Guy and Jackson will be really good help for the guys who are returning at linebacker. Jackson was our jayvee quarterback last year, and he's had a really good offseason," Stanford said. "Vontray, Jalen, Devaunte, Surratt and Smith all played significant time last year."

Marquavious Fisher is a three-year starter in the secondary.

Matt and Caleb Arnold return at cornerback and safety, respectively. Lajuante Wrightner also saw playing time in the secondary.

"All those guys played meaningful snaps last year and started at one point or another," Stanford said. "We'll be really active in the secondary. Along with experience, we're really athletic and fast on defense. We feel like we've got some depth at some spots, and with fall camp we've tried to develop some more."

 

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Circuit Judge Larry Chandler thanks the Quorum Court after receiving a resolution of appreciation for his service to Columbia County.

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

Stanford believes it is the small nuances, all controllable, that will turn the tide in the right direction for Texas High.

"When you get in a big game - and we're going to be in those week in and week out - it comes down to the little things of blocking and tackling, penalties and turnovers," the Tiger coach said. "Those are the four attributes that a team must master to be successful. Not to go back to last season, but we saw what we've got to do a better job on the offensive line, on defense we've got to be better at tackling, we've got to control the ball, as far as creating turnovers and not turning the ball over, and we've got to win the penalty aspect.

"Adversity can make you stronger, and we know this fall there's going to be adverse situations and once we get into this, we'll really find out what we're dealing with."

And it is not just how the players behave and react in practice and games, but how they handle themselves in the face of adversity - wherever they come in contact with it - that will lead to success.

"We're looking for a lot of growth and maturity; we played with a lot of young kids last year, and so you want not just physical growth, but intellectual growth," Stanford said. "From understanding the game of football, showing what a good teammate looks like, playing and living with high character. The character aspect is as important as any of it because character develops talent within the football team. Being able to carry that with us throughout the season will be one of the biggest things for us."

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2019 SCHEDULE

Date, Site-Opponent

Aug. 29, y-Pflugerville Hendrickson

Sept. 6, at Arkansas High

Sept. 13, Liberty-Eylau

Sept. 20, z-at Kilgore

Sept. 27, x-at John Tyler

Oct. 4, x-McKinney North (Homecoming)

Oct. 10, x-Mesquite Poteet

Oct. 18, x-Sherman

Oct. 25, Open date

Nov. 1, x-at Wylie East

Nov. 8, x-West Mesquite (Senior Night)

y-at Waxahachie. x-Denotes District 7-5A, Div. I games. z-7:30 p.m. kickoff

All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless denoted.

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QUICK FACTS

- SCHOOL: Texas High

- 2018 RECORD: 3-7

- HEAD COACH: Gerry Stanford

- YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3rd

- COACHING STAFF: Clint Toon, off. coordinator/quarterbacks; James Hawkins, co-def. coordinator/def. line; A.J. Wilson, co-def. coordinator/safeties; Kyle Dickerson, special teams coordinator/receivers; Dalton Franks, inside linebackers; Lane Elliott, running backs; Robert Spencer, cornerbacks; Jeremy Harrell, off. line; Allen Cross, off. line; Todd Elliott, running backs; Justin Coats, cornerbacks; A.J. Jordan, def. line; Carson Humphreys, quarterbacks; Stan Kimbell, outside linebackers; John McClure, Vince Minter.

- LETTERMEN LOST/BACK: 36/21

- STARTERS BACK: offense 4, defense 7

- PLAYERS TO WATCH: TE/LB Clayton Smith, WR/DB Kobe Webster, G Eric Poe, QB/WR Rian Cellars, RB Tracy Cooper, DE Jalen Green, DT Devaunte Jack, S Caleb Arnold, CB Matt Arnold, S Marquavious Fisher, LB Vontray Anderson, WR/DB Lajuante Wrightner.

- TOP NEWCOMERS: LB Jackson Halter, LB/RB Braylon Stewart, WR/DB Caden Miller, LB/HB Ja Tyson, DE Kamon Brown, DE Derrick Brown, HB Jaden Kelley.

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