Every football coach alive believes there is great value to practice. That’s when a coach learns about his team, and in turn it’s when the players learn what they’re supposed to be doing.
It’s the timing of those practices where coaches may differ in their opinions.
The UIL allows schools in Class 6A and 5A to hold spring drills if they so choose, giving them the option of 18 days of practice. If those teams choose to go through spring workouts, then they must start a week later in August than a 5A or 6A school that opted to skip those spring drills.
Here in McLennan County, Waco High and University are both planning to take advantage of the spring option, while Midway has opted to skip spring drills in favor of that extra week of fall camp.
For second-year University coach Kaeron Johnson and the Trojans, it’s more like spring with a twist. Though schools are allowed 18 practices, the Trojans intend to utilize only 10 practices, beginning April 30 before culminating with a spring game May 16 at Waco ISD Stadium. By reducing the number of days the Trojans are on the field, Johnson is hoping to reduce the risk of injuries.
People are also reading…
“We also feel like, for the most part, we know who we are, we know our identity,” Johnson said. “We just have a few new coaches and I want to give them a chance to work with the kids. … So, we’ll get in and out, get our 10 practices in, and just to prepare for the season ahead.”
University continued its upward ascent during a 7-4 playoff season in 2023. The Trojans will bring back a bevy of skilled starters from that team, headlined by blue-chip, Super Centex receiver London Smith, who will be a junior in the fall. Also back are quarterback Cade Bynnom, running back Ladarrius Evans, offensive lineman Micah Willis, and linebackers Armani Franklin and Joaquin Martinez, the latter being the reigning Super Centex Defensive Newcomer of the Year.
Some new faces only add to the Trojans’ upbeat optimism. Holden Seward, the son of former McGregor head coach Tim Seward, has joined the program as the new offensive coordinator. He’ll have plenty of weapons at his disposal, including move-in JD Bell from Mart, a veteran of many a Friday night battle who is coming off a season in which he rushed for 2,394 yards and 42 touchdowns for the Class 2A powerhouse Panthers.
“JD Bell is a Waco kid, I think him coming back to Waco was only a matter of time. We’ll look for him to help a lot,” Johnson said.
The University coach is also excited about a couple of players who will move to the varsity after outstanding subvarsity seasons as freshmen in 2023, those being slot receiver Robert Stephens and quarterback Savoy Nichols.
University will open the 2024 season with Keller Central, and also has nondistrict games scheduled against Granbury, China Spring, Killeen Shoemaker and Lampasas. Johnson said he’s hoping to get the Week 3 game against China Spring scheduled for Baylor’s McLane Stadium.
Across town at Waco High, the Lions haven’t enjoyed the same kind of success that would propel them into the offseason. They’re 3-27 under head coach Linden Heldt, who will kick off his fourth season in the fall.
But there may be more reason for hope for the Lions than any surface-level appearances would suggest.
“When we got here, this group that will be the senior class, they were our first freshman class,” Heldt said. “We ushered a lot of them into starting roles right away, but as a result we’ve now got 11 guys who have started three years. That’s half your squad where you don’t have spots to fill.
“Luckily, for the first time since I’ve been here, we’ve got a lot of strong players at numerous positions who have really solidified their roles. They know what to expect, they help set the tone, they know what we’re trying to do. So, really a lot of spring will be just putting in some nuance in our schemes, trying to experiment and see what we like.”
Waco High lost four games last season on the last possession of the game, so part of the Lions’ focus will be on fixing little mistakes and learning to better finish out games. Waco High should also benefit from a drop from Class 5A Div. I to 5A Div. II, where it will compete in District 10-5A alongside Belton, Brenham, Bryan Rudder, Killeen Ellison and its Waco ISD rival University.
The Lions aren’t devoid of talent by any means. A guy who checks all the boxes is Dan’Tay Ward, a Class of 2025 lineman who measures in at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. He already has one Division I scholarship offer from UTEP. Heldt can’t wait to work a few of his newcomers into the mix, too, including Andre Kelly, a current freshman “who has a ton of God-given speed,” and defensive lineman Davarion “Day-Day” Campbell, a move-in from Temple who brings impressive athleticism to the defensive front.
Waco High will get rolling with its spring drills on Thursday and Friday during its athletic period. Then it will crank up the action beginning Monday as it works its way toward its spring game May 17 at Paul Tyson Stadium.
“When I got here, we were getting dragged by the Duncanvilles and DeSotos of the world in Class 6A, losing 78-0, but the guys have come a long way,” Heldt said. “They’ve been through the thick and thin of times at Waco, so there’s not a lot that fazes them.”
Meanwhile, Midway is coming off a 5-6 season in which it shared the District 12-6A championship and made the playoffs for the first time since 2019. The Panthers have a new head coach in place in Joe Gillespie, who most recently served as the defensive coordinator at TCU. Gillespie is still assembling his coaching staff and not all are on campus yet, and as such the Panthers will skip spring drills as they gear up for the first day of fall camp on Aug. 5.
“The expectations for myself are to come in every day and I’m going to be better today than I was yesterday. That’s what I want our kids to do,” Gillespie said, after his hiring in January. “We’re not going to ask our kids or our players, we’re not going to ask our players that we as coaches, as an entire staff, wouldn’t do ourselves.
“So, we’ve got to come out with the same expectations of ourselves every day. Let’s treat every day like it’s the first day on the job.”
Though the Panthers were a senior-heavy team in 2023, they’ll still welcome back some key cogs, including all-district offensive lineman Michael Collins (6-3, 270), defensive end Carlos Talton (39 tackles, 5 sacks) and running back Lathan Whisenton, who had 100-yard rushing performances against Bryan and Pflugerville Weiss in Midway’s push to the playoffs.
Which Centex athletes will ‘get out’ to state?
The beauty of next month’s UIL State Track and Field Championships is that there are no prelims. Everything is a final, every race or field event determines a state champion.
If you want to watch the “prelims” for state, tune in this weekend. Yes, it’s time for UIL regional track again.
At meets all over Texas on Friday and Saturday, athletes will be angling for those coveted spots at state. To use the vernacular of the high school track coach, everyone is looking to “get out” of regionals. Who did you get out? Did you get your relay teams out? Did so-and-so get out in the discus?
Yeah, in Central Texas, “Get Out” isn’t a creepy Jordan Peele-directed horror movie. It’s a parade, as every year loads of local athletes get out of the regional meets and vault their way to that state stage.
Several Centex athletes who are defending state champs in their events will be competing at regional meets this weekend. They include Cameron Yoe senior Yierra Flemings (Class 3A girls 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter dash), Fairfield senior Avery Thaler (Class 3A girls triple jump), Rosebud-Lott’s Jamarquis Johnson (Class 2A boys long jump) and Lake Belton’s Kendrick Jones (Class 5A boys 200). Flemings will be trying to go 4-for-4 in state gold medals in the 400 this season, and she’s also the all-classifications leader in Texas this season in the 300 hurdles (40.74 seconds).
Regional meets of interest for Central Texas fans will play out in Arlington (Region II-5A), Bullard (III-4A), Palestine (III-2A), Denton (III-1A) and Seguin (IV-1A). Additionally, Midway High School will simultaneously host a pair of regional meets this weekend, the Region II-6A meet and the Region III-3A meet. Some of the athletes to watch at those meets include West sprinter Coy Klish, who has a regional-best time of 10.58 in the 100-meter dash, Whitney’s Jairdyn Anderson (22.18 in the 200), Clifton’s Alexa Lane (11-3 in pole vault), and of course Yoe’s Flemings, who has the top time or distance in her region in five different events.
Six Trojan athletes sign with colleges
University High School is keeping the college pipeline flowing, as six Trojan athletes enjoyed a signing ceremony on Wednesday.
Trojans defensive back Jae’Juan Harris is headed to Angelo State, offensive lineman Enrique Rangel signed with Clarke University in Kansas, defensive back/receiver Micah Henderson will play for Hardin-Simmons, and receiver Brayden Gollihar inked with Millsaps College in Mississippi.
Additionally, University softball player Alyana Salazar will continue her career at Howard Payne, while soccer’s Emily Guerrero is headed to Hill College.
La Vega’s Willis commits to Tarleton State
If you’ve ever seen her shoot, you know La Vega senior Mar’cyah “MiMi” Willis would get her shot.
Willis indeed will continue her basketball career in college, as she announced her commitment to Division I Tarleton State, where she’ll play for former Baylor assistant and former McLennan head coach Bill Brock.
A two-time state champion, Willis earned first-team Super Centex and all-state honors as a senior this year. She led La Vega in scoring (14.6), 3-point percentage (41%) and free throw percentage (86%), and was named the District 23-4A Co-MVP along with being a McDonald’s All-American nominee.