Although football season is still months away, fans can get an inside look at their favorite high school, college and professional teams statewide today with the anticipated annual release of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine.
Denton Record-Chronicle North Texas beat writer Brett Vito previewed the Mean Green’s season, pointing out the team’s need to improve its defense and continue to mature on offense in head coach Todd Dodge’s second season. Quarterback Giovanni Vizza highlights a section focusing on his decision to attend UNT and play under Dodge’s offensive system after committing to Nevada in 2007.
UNT had a pair of offensive players on the All-Texas College Team in offensive lineman Kelvin Drake and wide receiver Casey Fitzgerald. Linebacker Craig Robertson made the second-team defense.
The magazine predicted the Mean Green to finish with a 5-7 record in 2008.
Pilot Point was the only area high school team ranked by Texas Football, which listed the Bearcats as the No. 2 team in Class 2A. Pilot Point was a smallish Class 3A team last season, the magazine points out, but this year the Bearcats have the highest enrollment of all 2A teams.
Pilot Point head coach Blake Feldt returns five starters on offense and seven on defense. Three all-district players will key Pilot Point in running back Cooper Guthrie, wide receiver Jarman Johnson and linebacker Karl Anderson.
The magazine predicted Aubrey to finish third in District 10-2A behind Pilot Point and Pottsboro.
Texas Football picked Ryan to finish second behind Wichita Falls Rider in District 5-4A, with Ryan the only area team picked to make the playoffs in the district. The magazine predicted Lake Dallas to finish fifth, followed by Guyer at sixth and Denton last at eighth.
Ryan returns six starters on offense and four on defense after finishing last season with a 6-5 record. Texas Football highlights Ryan wide receiver D.J. Beshears among “Names You Should Know” in 5-4A.
Guyer offensive linemen Kyle Clark and Jesse Coffey made the second team offense in the magazine’s high school super team. Clark, a 6-5, 275-pound senior, and Coffey, a 6-7, 275-pound senior, both ranked among the top 25 linemen in the Texas Top 300. The magazine selected Clark to the preseason all-state team in Class 4A, along with Lake Dallas kicker Michael Murray.
Guyer defensive lineman Taylor Bible and quarterback J.W. Walsh ranked among the state’s top underclassmen. Texas Football listed Ryan’s Yahshua Williams in the “Best of the Rest” category for the state’s top defensive backs.
In Class 3A, the magazine predicted Argyle to place third in District 9-3A behind Celina and Prosper, and it predicted Sanger to finish sixth.
Argyle wide receiver Brady Brown ranked among the top 20 wide receivers in the state. Brown and teammate Chas Eads, a 6-2, 240-pound offensive lineman, made the preseason all-state 3A team.
Liberty Christian, the TAPPS Division II state champions, returns six starters on both offense and defense. With several key skill players returning, the magazine notes that the Warriors could be in for another big year in 2008.
BRAD McDONNELL can be reached at 940-566-6869. His e-mail address is bmcdonnell@dentonrc.com .
