Coming off back-to-back district championships, 22 victories over the last two seasons and deep playoff runs both years, the Brownwood Lions open their 2024 campaign at 7 a.m. Monday with the first practice of the season.
The Lions – ranked No. 7 in Class 4A Division I in the preseason by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football – return six starters on offense and three on defense from the 2023 regional finalist squad that posted a 12-2 record.
Question marks surround every team at the start of two-a-days, and the Lions are no exception. There are quite a few positions to keep an eye on as the Lions gear up for the Aug. 30 regular season opener at home against Abilene Wylie.
Assistant head coach David Jones stated during the summer that every position is open heading into the first practice of the season.
The unit with the most experience, however, lies on the offensive side of the ball where three of the four starters from 2023 – Carson Noe (43-772, 7 TDs), Aaron Edmonds (25-341, 3 TDs) and Stone Ratliff (11-205, TD) – return. During the 7-on-7 campaign, varsity newcomer Grant Gray turned heads and move in Devin Eanes from Hamilton could also factor into the mix, among others.
A pair of tight ends are also back in Weston Wolf (6-109, TD) and Aiden Driskill, and Lions head coach Sammy Burnett stated working the duo into the passing game more is something the coaching staff will examine during the preseason,
Brownwood also brings back last year’s starting running back in Levi Pearson (581 yards, 5 TDs), who will be joined by Duncanville move-in Trey Mosley in a potential thunder and lightning scenario. Pearson follows more of the scat back mode and can hurt teams in the passing game, while Mosley is expected to be a mauler on the ground. Noah Gonzalez, a stellar runner during his junior varsity days, could also see playing time in the backfield as well, according to running backs coach Bryan Clark.
The position that naturally draws the most attention is quarterback, where the Lions are looking at either Braedan Stacks (17 of 24, 251 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT) or Hamilton move in Judson Coalson to follow in the footsteps of two-year starter Ike Hall. Rory McNeese also received significant snaps during 7-on-7, but Burnett recently stated the plan is for McNeese, just a sophomore, to start on the JV and gain additional experience. Hall was a dual threat for the Lions, often causing more damage with his legs, while this season the Brownwood quarterback will resemble the traditional drop back passer that scrambles only on occasion.
Up front, just one starter is back on the offensive line in tackle Aidan Packheiser. Luke Hagood, who saw snaps last year, along with Logan Flores, Tristan Stephens and Robert Trowbridge, will have the opportunity to solidify themselves as a unit early on, according to offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Dex Dennard.
Defensively, the trenches feature the most experience with Wolf (80 tackles, 7 for loss, 6 sacks) and Trowbridge (72 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 sack) returning, but with anticipated roles on offense depth will need to be developed, along with a third starter along the front.
Jones mentioned potentially nine players could see time at linebacker, where none of the starters are back from last year. Some of those players could also find themselves moving up onto the line or back into the secondary, as the middle of the Brownwood defense appears to be the most versatile unit on the field.
Speaking of the secondary, Gonzalez (134 tackles, 7 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery) is the lone starter returning. Kenyan McDowell (30 tackles, 1 INT) is the only other member of the secondary with varsity experience, though Raven Prado, Keedon Brooks, Durham Brown and Caven Webster are among a number of players who could log a significant amount of snaps.
On special teams, the departure of four-year starter Junior Martinez has the Lions searching for both a kicker and punter. Eli Valenciano had a solid season on the JV a year ago and will get the first crack at filling the void, while McNeese is another option, Burnett said.
The Lions will hold their Maroon-White scrimmage the morning of Saturday, Aug. 10 at Gordon Wood Stadium, welcome Jason Witten’s Argyle Liberty Christian Warriors for the first scrimmage on Friday, Aug. 16, and venture to Alvarado on Thursday, Aug. 22 as they tune up for what Jones considers the toughest pre-district slate Brownwood has faced in the seven years since his return to campus.
Following the season opener against Wylie, the Lions visit Wall (Sept. 6), host Glen Rose (Sept. 13) and Waco La Vega (Sept. 20), travel to China Spring (Sept. 27), then battle Ingleside (Oct. 4) in Boerne in the pre-district slate.
Standing between the Lions and a third straight district championship will be 4-4A Division I rivals Lampasas (there, Oct. 11), Burnet (home, Oct. 25), No. 1 Stephenville (there, Nov. 1) and Marble Falls (home, Nov. 8).