Cougar14.2

Well, at least we'll be able to test ourselves against the #1 ranked team in the state.

My worry about BH is that even with the coaching change they still seemed to struggle athletically against the better teams. I really like the Cullen Kirkland kid but he just needs to be a little more consistent target for Cauthen. More than any other players graduating in the district I think BH will be hurt a lot by the loss of Langelier. BH has to get a break like they did last year and stay healthy, they'll probably have to improve on their execution without Skyler being there to bail BH out. I definitely think BH will make the playoffs but will probably be in a lot more wars before they get there. As far as the PNG game, it kind of highlights what I pointed out before Westeberg got here. I felt like BH was the better team that night, I think TW may have gotten outcoached by Faircloth though. PNG looked like they knew every play BH was going to run those first few drives Cauthen kept throwing picks. For a decade and a half TW has been the one on the sideline with Roschon Johnson. I.E. Kyler Murray(A&M), Seth Green(Minnesota), Nathan Dick(Arkansas), Matt Brown(TCU), Alec Morris(Alabama) and so on. On the flip side of all that, houses are expensive in Lake Travis and Aledo and they seem to do alright. BH will eventually become what everybody expects but it will probably be when the enrollment gets closet that 1,900 range.

Really liking what I've seen from Crosby so far. I know a lot of Crosby fans have been worried about how the defense was going to look and if you watched the scrimmage Friday you probably walked away still wondering? I don't think the defense stopped the O one time when they went good on good but I really think the offense is just going to be that efficient with Howard at the helm. On defense I feel like we have playmakers at all three levels. I think the defensive line may have been the biggest question mark on the team but it looked like we have some big bodies and nice depth at that position. If Crosby is going to beat a squad like FB Marshall the defensive line has to play at a high level, especially against the run game between the tackles. I think the strongest position on defense may be the linebacker spot. Hunter Moore will be a kid that plays on Saturday's for sure and Rashad Singleton(Raelon's little brother) might be the most freakish athlete in the district. I expect Singleton to be in consideration for defensive MVP of the district, I doubt anybody blocks him all year. Offensively, the ball has rarely hit the ground during the scrimmage or team portion of practices. I would say we're a little less talented than we have been the past 5 or 6 years at the receiver spot but I'm not sure you need a bunch of big time playmakers when you have an efficient qb. That being said, I still feel like we'll have the strongest receiving core in the district along with maybe Porter. If Crosby stays healthy, which is a BIG if, we're going to be very hard to play with for four quarters if you can't out-athlete us. We're about three kids stepping up away from having a special squad/season.

Now now Soulja, I still think Crosby would beat Central handily if both teams lined up healthy in bi-district. I just think Nelson makes Central a legitimate factor for the first time in almost a decade. Guy is legit, question is can he stay off the UIL's radar?

I think Matthews probably gets the more out of his talent than maybe any other coach in the district, but as far as X's and O's go I think he's behind Nelson and Faircloth for sure. Maybe even Babin? He has too many seasons where Vidor isn't a factor and probably more than any other coach in the bi-district his results are direct reflection of the talent he has to work with. Jim Holley took a 1-9 team and had a 7 game improvement the next year with the same kids, Westeberg took BH from 4-6 to 8-3 with similar circumstances, Riordan took Crosby from above average to averaging 10 wins per season. That's what X's and O's guys can do, I think Matthews deserves credit for being an excellent motivator though.

Kind of finishing up my preseason research and looking at 22-5A it's hard for me to drop Central below second place. I use a athletes x coaching x experience = w equation to make assumptions prior to the season. Cemtral has the second best athletes in the district, in my opinion they have the best coach in the district and I can't find what they have returning but all this stuff is adding up to them having a Porter-like season. The way Nelson coaches he doesn't need a qb that is much more than serviceable, he does need a game-changer at the rb position though. I think given the athletes he'll also have a chance to put together a very good defense. 1. PAM 2. Central 3. PNG 4. Nederland 5. Vidor/Lumberton 6. Lumberton/Vidor 7. Ozen 8. Lee 9. Livingston

No doubt I want to win but I'm not really worried about the score. I'm more concerned with how efficiently we move the ball on offense and how we hold up against the run. They have FB Marshall picked to play Aledo in the state title game, we will almost certainly get them again in the second round. If we're able to beat them I think we're probably looking at a '14 type season. If we rack up 400+ yard and 35+ points I would feel good with our ability to move the ball on everybody else in region 3 division II. We might give up 60 but if we don't get continuously gashed in the running game I think that's a good sign regardless of point total.

Do they go 15 school days or 15 days from the beginning of school. Manvel starts school on the 17th, if he has to only wait 15 calendar days he would be eligible on September 1st which is the first game.

Some programs exist in a different space. I think everybody understood what he meant. Would've been different if he said A&M or something.

Well, sledding just got a little tougher for Crosby week 1. Manvel already had 3-star Texas A&M commit Deneric Prince in the backfield. Today it was announced 2019 4-star running back from Wolforth Frienship, Garrison Johnson, has transferred to Manvel to join Prince in the backfield. Garrison Johnson - [Hidden Content] With this free agent pick-up I would have to give Manvel the nod over Denton Ryan as the favorite to win the D1 title. Don't be surprised to see them have a DeSoto-like season and get the monkey off their back and win a title. Will probably end the year ranked in the top 25 nationally after starting at #31.

Kind of what I'm feeling. I'm wondering if Westeberg isn't playing with a loaded deck like he was at Allen if the trajectory most are planning for BH is correct? All TW did was move BH to a system everybody else was already running. Last year was the first time everybody saw it, is that system going to be much improved or will the district have better answers the second time around? Reason I'm asking is because Crosby roughed BH up to start district play and NC roughed them up to finish. They also lost to a PNG squad with one great athlete in which they were probably the better overall team. I have BH finishing second in the district but I wouldn't be surprised to see them finish 4th with losses to Crosby, NC and maybe Porter if they can replace Jake Hall. 1.Crosby 2. Barbers Hill 3. New Caney 4. Porter 5. Kingwood Park 6. Humble/Dayton 7. Dayton/Humble 8. Splendora 9. Caney Creek

Question for 21-5A fans: Based on the condition of the program the prior season, who did the better first year coaching job between Jim Holley and Tom Westeberg?

Another pretty salty receiver from 21-5A is Cullen Kirkland from Barbers Hill. I believe him and Cameron Cauthen are the top returning duo in the district. This kid should be one of the three toughest covers in the district along with Jackson at KP and Sevonne Rhea of Porter. Cedric Patterson from Crosby:

Coach Riordan interview with DCTF today: [Hidden Content]

I didn't say Dayton wasn't growing, I said it's not growing as fast as the surrounding areas they have to compete with which is moving them down the ladder in district talent rankings. We're at the point now where Porter and New Caney are producing 4-star dbs. The game has changed. Building a bunch of houses is fine but you better have a bunch of millennials with young children moving in to fill them instead of older people moving out there that just want more property. It's a hard sell for a set of 30-40 year old parents with young kids to pass Crosby, Barbers Hill, Baytown, Atascocita, the newer Sheldon area and even Huffman to come to Dayton which has less to offer and is most likely a tougher commute to work. Compare that with the rapidly growing tax bases of the schools I just named and you can see why what used to be little 'ole New Caney probably has the nicest stadium in Houston for the moment, it's why BH can overpay to pull away a state championship coach from a cushy job and the reason Crosby's stadium has all the bells and whistles to go with the nicest baseball/softball complex in the state. None of that stuff meant squat 10-15 years ago, but now if you don't have it it matters a lot.

I think the only disappointment you'll see on Crosby and BH's faces will be when week 6 rolls around and the game don't mean anything because Dayton is already out of it. Dayton is really struggling to keep up with facilities, they have the slowest growing enrollment in the district which is moving them down the ladder talent-wise and favoritism/nepotism has caused even more issues due to a regression in coaching. With the level of coaching in the district and the amount of individual talent spread throughout I think it's going to be tough sledding again for Dayton.

I was reading an article where Jackson said he left St. Pius because of a tuition increase. Usually New Caney gets the St. Pius transfers like they did with Allison, Harvey and Ware. Good for KP though. The main reason I think KP has a chance at a playoff spot other than Jackson transferring in is that they have 18 starters back. With two healthy players like Jackson and Hurst mixed with the lack of defense we play in this district, I put KP firmly in the mix with Dayton, Humble and Porter for the fourth playoff spot.

I think both you and Pride are partly right. KP had a tight end they never threw to when Holley was the coach but somehow the kid still ended up at Baylor and is currently the starter. Yet, KP currently has a kid named Thyron Hurst(#2) who holds no reported offers but would almost surely have some if he attended St. Pius this past season.

I just looked and the #2 kid had 34 carries for 242 yards and 2 tds on Dayton who won by 14 points. True enough one player doesn't make a team, but adding Jackson to he mix might do just that. Imagine he puts up 150 yards and 2 tds to go with what Hurst did that night and it's a whole different game. Maple wants to throw it around at KP but you saw just like me when they would go 4-wide they didn't have a single guy out there who could really even catch, much less was a legit threat. I would think Jackson sees 80-100 targets on the season and probably some return duties.

I think Crosby's junior qb Jaiden Howard is Aaron Sharp 2.0. Probably doesn't have the long speed Sharp did but will be a more elusive and effective runner when asked. Already taller than Sharp at a legitimate 6-3 was the 21-5A newcomer of the year in 2016. Only saw limited action last year but is already thought of highly enough in recruiting circles to be ranked one of the top 80 recruits in Texas' 2019 class. I don't think 3,500 total yards and 35+ total tds is out of the question. Jaiden Howard - [Hidden Content]

I think that if he can stay healthy there's no question Craig Williams is one of the most dynamic players in the state. Finished 3rd in the 5A 100m dash which was won by ex-Manvel running back Caleb Jolivette. I think you're going to see around 2,500 total yards and 30 total tds. Currently holds 18 FBS offers per 247sports. If he healthy behind this offensive line Crosby is going to be a very difficult out. Craig Williams - [Hidden Content]

Kingwood Park just picked up what I think is going to be the best receiver in our district. Bryson Jackson played for Humble as a sophomore but transferred to St. Pius X for is junior season and blew up. Transferred back to KP for his senior season, who also has #2 coming back. Jackson has the potential to put up 1,500+ yards and 20+ tds in KP's offense. I think this completely changes the game as far playoff outlooks. Byrson Jackson - [Hidden Content]

Yeah, they should be moving back up to 6A after this season so the depth is unquestioned. If you go through the classes they probably have about 10-12 D1 kids on the roster too. People worry about Preston because he's ranked so high but I actually think the better receiver is Kam Scott who just committed to Missouri. The running back Deneric Prince is committed to A&M and so is the outside linebacker who runs 4.4. One of the corners is committed to Penn State but the other guy is probably a better cover corner, just small. Left tackle is about 6-5 and 300lbs committed to Texas State and the qb is committed to North Texas on top or a roster loaded with stud underclassmen. I was hoping Shadow Creek opening would hurt them a little more these last couple of years but it doesn't look like it. All that being said, they were just as talented last year and I thought we played ok. It was a fumble returned for a TD and our third and long defense which allowed Preston that 85-yarder and Jolivette some long runs which hurt us. If we can get anything out of the running game and Jaiden takes care of the ball I think we can make it a contest.

Kind of my sentiment. Was a little disappointed that now that the six weeks is up and we've moved to player led workouts they've become so short? Some of the kids were at the house watching videos Manvel posted of their workouts when I went home on lunch today. Last year they were told that they pretty much didn't have a chance, I think it semi-worked but maybe it's counterproductive to keep telling them that?

Well, if this split happens it would definitely be a lot more "fair". As far as 5A-D2 it looks awful weak, I know that's probably not a popular statement on here. Compare that to Houston's D1 S/SW district that will have Manvel, Shadow Creek, Angleton, Elkins and Hightower, one of which would get Friendswood in the first round. Very good for the UIL to make money but I think you're going to see a lot less competitive games in the playoffs before you get to the third round and later much like the lower divisions since the split. I can see it being a big win for a bunch of teams like Crosby though.