Austin High at Waco High

Last year: Austin High 5-5, Waco High 2-8

Breakdown: A passing-based Austin High squad rolls into Waco with designs on shutting down the Lions’ run-based option system.

Deonte’ Phillips will take a lot of snaps in the gun and will have a turn controlling Waco High’s spread option running game, which is in good hands with a deep stable of running backs.

Lions coach Danny Ramsey said he has “great confidence” in Phillips under the lights in opening weekend. The Maroons held half their opponents to 14 points or fewer last season in the rugged District 15-5A.

The Waco High defense is out to counter Austin High’s four returning offensive lineman and 900-yard receiver Cayleb Jones with a little quickness and a lot of Tristan Eche, who had 71 tackles last year. Austin High passes a lot more than it runs, so the secondary will get an early test.

— Will Parchman

Midway at Round Rock

Last year: Midway 9-3, Round Rock 4-6

Breakdown: The Terry Gambill era begins for Midway facing a team that went through spring without a coach.

Round Rock missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004 last season and returns almost nothing offensively for new coach Jeff Cheatham, who moved over from Salado. In fact, their most experienced player is quarterback Sam Vaughan, who threw 13 passes and ran the ball twice.

The Dragons will operate out of a spread, with the jet sweep serving as their No. 1 play, Gambill said. Round Rock is better off defensively experience-wise with five starters back and will run a 3-4. Gambill said the Dragons are quick up front, but that their best part of the defense is the secondary.

The Panthers’ starting quarterback will be a game-time decision, and Gambill said Thursday that Ryan Smith, Rodney Gordon, Beau Blackshear and Kramer Robertson are all still in the mix.

Midway has plenty of tested and proven players on both sides of the ball, but Gambill wants to see where it is as a team in a game situation.

“No matter what happens, we’ll have to improve after Game 1,” he said. “Game 1 doesn’t make a season.”

— Jason Orts

Forney at University

Last year: Forney 6-5, University 7-5

Breakdown: The chief concern for University coach Matt Carroll is settling down his young roster on opening night Saturday. Returning just five starters from last year, University will push quarterbacks Gerrell Griffin, a senior, and Ray Washington, a sophomore, into the mix for the first time.

Griffin will start, but Washington will definitely take some snaps. When and in what circumstances will depend on the flow of the game.

Forney is also replacing its quarterback, and from film of their last scrimmage, Carroll says the 4A Jackrabbits run a similar offense to the Trojans and seemed to have settled on a starter. In a game-time situation, Carroll hopes the inevitable butterflies are killed off quickly enough to push a Forney team that made the playoffs last year.

— Parchman

No. 1 Brownwood at Gatesville

Last year: Brownwood 10-3, Gatesville 7-4

Breakdown: The Lions, 3A’s top-ranked team, travel to Gatesville, and Hornets coach Kyle Cooper says his players will be ready for them.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Cooper said. “We know who they are.”

Gatesville has plans on repeating its playoff appearance from last year. The offensive line will need to establish itself so the Hornets can run the ball and give quarterback Jake Truss and wide receiver Nardi Meyers time to make big plays.

Brownwood runs a balanced offense with nine returners on both sides of the ball. Jaxson Shipley, brother of former Texas All-American Jordan Shipley, will look to stretch the field with the return of quarterback Graylon Brown from a 2009 season-ending leg injury.

Gatesville’s defense struggled at times last year, and the Hornets have made changes to add speed to the unit. Better fundamentals, experience and hard work during the offseason will strengthen the defense, Cooper said.

— David Ash

China Spring at Mexia

Last year: China Spring 9-3, Mexia 9-3

Breakdown: Mexia crushed China Spring, 41-21, last year in a game that wasn’t even that close. China Spring is eager to repay the favor. Doing so will key on how the Cougars deal with running back Doug Gentry.

Mexia coach Paul Weaver may be a slight unknown here in his first year, but the Blackcats’ strategy is pretty cut and dry: feed Gentry in whatever way possible.

“We’re not going to shut him down,” China Spring coach Mark Bell said. “We’re trying to keep him from getting 1,000 yards on their first night.”

Bell may have given up on the idea of shutting down Gentry, but containing him to a degree will allow first-year China Spring quarterback Collin Wood to settle in. Look to see how the Cougars adapt without a Bell under center and with a somewhat renewed focus on the run in place.

— Parchman

No. 5 Prosper at La Vega

Last year: Prosper 11-2, La Vega 7-5

Breakdown: It’s a rematch of the 2008 3A Division I state championship game, a 17-10 come-from-behind win for Prosper.

La Vega coach Willie Williams said he mentioned that to his team this week, and the players remember that game because they’ve been in the Pirates’ program. But none of the current La Vega players were on the field in that game, so the revenge factor isn’t as high as it could be.

The Eagles enter the season ranked No. 5, and Williams said they are “mean and tough and fast and aggressive.”

Both teams have changed their offensive schemes. Prosper will run the veer out of shotgun and pistol sets. Prosper’s top offensive threat is running back Juan Williams, who ran for 1,824 yards and 18 touchdowns last year.

La Vega is known for lining up in the wing-T and pounding its opponents, but the Pirates plan to spread it out more this season.

“We have several skill kids, and we feel that type of offensive will allow us to get all of our athletes on the field at the same time,” Williams said.

The Eagles have a decided experience edge with 21 seniors; the Pirates lost 24 lettermen off last year’s squad.

While Williams obviously wants to win the game, he said the main thing he wants to see is how his young players react under pressure and for them to get some experience.

— Orts

Robinson at Alvarado

Last year: Robinson 2-8, Alvarado 7-5

Breakdown: Robinson hasn’t found much success since its runner-up finish in 2006, but the Rockets hopes to start a new trend tonight.

“It would be huge to get back on the right track, get confidence for the year,” coach Brian Lewis said.

It’ll have to come with an inexperienced offense against eight veteran Indians on defense. Lewis said he has stressed ball protection and fewer penalties. 

That will apply to first-year starting quarterback Chad Hollingsworth, who is “a little farther along” than Lewis thought he’d be. Hollingsworth will have to be wary of lineman Remon Hemphill, who had 77 tackles last season, and defensive back Tyler Bates, who returned two of his 11 interceptions for touchdowns last year.

Just like the Rockets, Alvarado has an inexperienced offensive line — something that could play into Robinson’s hands, including linebackers Philip Hurtado and Jake Harwell.

— Brian Bateman

Cameron Yoe at Connally

Last year: Cameron Yoe 6-4, Connally 4-6

Breakdown: Both teams are starting fresh tonight. Connally begins the Mike Rabe era and Cameron Yoe begins its run in 2A.

“I want to see how we handle a full four quarters.” Rabe said. “I’m real curious to see how we handle and make adjustments.”

Yoe is a consensus pick to win its district.

The key for the game will be the ability of Connally to control the ball against a talented Yoe defense.

The Cadets have a stable of running backs with Stanley Barnes, Ricky Gates and Terrence Ratliff all seeing action behind a good offensive line.

Quarterback Jack Rhoades and running back Damyon Kelley will look to put points on the board for the Yoemen.

— Ash

Hillsboro at Clifton

Last year: Hillsboro 2-7, Clifton 3-7

Breakdown: These teams use dramatically different offensive sets to do basically the same thing — run the ball. Clifton spreads the field to run while Hillsboro will keep it in tight with a wing-T. In that regard, these teams won’t surprise each other too much.

That puts the onus on the battle in the trenches. Clifton has a moderate size advantage on both sides, while Hillsboro will rely on quickness up front.

Hillsboro fullback Brian Crosby will be a bruising feature back, while Clifton running back Cody Franklin will have much of the offensive burden on his shoulders as both Clifton and Hillsboro throw new quarterbacks into the fray.

— Parchman

Marlin at Salado

Last year: Marlin 1-9, Salado 3-7

Breakdown: The Bulldogs get their first chance to see how much they’ve improved in the second year of the Keith Willis era, facing a Salado squad that moved up from 2A to 3A.

Running back Justin Stewart has created quite a buzz around the area, and Marlin fans will finally get to see him in varsity action.

Salado got a late start after the summertime departure of coach Jeff Cheatham. Glenn Talbot takes over and has the task of improving the Eagles, who finished 3-7 in 2A last year.

— Orts

Rogers at Groesbeck

Last year: Rogers 9-3, Groesbeck 1-9

Breakdown: Rogers’ unorthodox Slot-T offense has Groesbeck coach Stephen Burrow a little off balance already.

He said he’s had trouble replicating its nuances in practice, and he’s unsure exactly how the Goats’ front seven will react to a sparingly used offense that centers around quick misdirection plays, nearly all of them on the ground.

Unfortunately for Groesbeck, Rogers returns two of its top three rushers in Ryan Pierce and Cody Weir off a nine-win team. Burrow has told his defense to “trust what you see and read your keys.”

Based on scrimmage performances, Burrow would like to see some improvement in the running game tonight, so the passing game with quarterback Chase Burrow may take center stage.

— Parchman

Crawford at Jarrell

Last year: Crawford 8-3, Jarrell 0-10

Breakdown: Crawford coach Delbert Kelm has stressed since before fall practice began that his team will need some time to come together with four returning starters on both sides of the ball.

The Pirates get their first chance to do that against a Jarrell team that was winless last year.

Still, Kelm said the Cougars are a fundamentally sound team that does a solid job of running a wing-T with plenty of misdirection.

Defensively, Jarrell’s 4-3 scheme is designed to allow the linebackers to flow freely to the football and collect most of the tackles. Clayton Kovar is the Cougars’ top defender, coming off a 106-tackle season.

Kelm’s biggest concerns are the kicking game and getting his team some game reps and in game shape, since conditioning is always an issue in the heat of the season opener.

— Orts

McGregor vs. Rosebud-Lott

Last year: McGregor 13-1, Rosebud-Lott 5-6

Breakdown: In one of the most underrated rivalries in Central Texas, the Bulldogs and Cougars will meet in a matinee at 11 a.m. Saturday at Waco ISD Stadium.

These teams have gone back-and-forth since top-ranked McGregor knocked off No. 2 Rosebud-Lott in a 2002 game that decided the district championship.

In the last two years, they split season-opening meetings, with Rosebud-Lott taking a 27-0 decision in 2008 and McGregor returning the favor by the same score last year.

McGregor coach Tim Seward said the Cougars are extremely athletic and have a lot of skill players they like to distribute the ball around to, and that athleticism shows up on defense as well.

Seward has been happy with his team’s execution in it’s two scrimmages, but he wants the Bulldogs to play with more physicality and he wants to see how his two young running backs perform in their first varsity experience.

— Orts

Axtell at Dawson

Last year: Axtell 3-7, Dawson 8-2

Breakdown: Dawson, which is receiving votes in the Associated Press 1A poll, brings a stellar rushing attack in the form of Alex Shaw, who rushed for 1,500 yards each of the past two years.

But that won’t be the only threat Axtell and coach Mike Cadell face. Fullback Michael Vaughn added 900 yards on the ground last season, and quarterback Trey Tennison is no stranger to the triple option.

Axtell returns a strong running game of its own, but could pick up key plays from receiver Jay Helleck. The senior stands at 6-5 — nine inches to a foot taller than the Dawson secondary.

“That could turn into a key matchup,” Cadell said.

Axtell will have to deal with defensive end Kirk Williams, who moved to the edge from a stout year at tackle. The Longhorns could catch a break as “he’s still learning what to do,” Dawson coach Scott Hawkins said.

— Bateman

Reicher at Academy

Last year: Reicher 11-3, Academy 6-4

Breakdown: The Cougars scrimmaged against Academy in the offseason, but Reicher coach Mark Waggoner still isn’t sure what to expect from the Bumblebees.

“Their offense was pretty vanilla. We’re not sure what we’re going to see,” he said.

Senior captain Nick Martinez, a defensive end/tight end who has bulked up to 224 pounds, has shown significant progress from 2009.

Reicher is attempting to win its fourth straight TAPPS state championship.

— Bateman

Chilton at No. 3 Mart

Last year: Chilton 8-3, Mart 9-5

Breakdown: Mart coach Rusty Nail was “embarrassed” after his team’s 39-16 loss to Chilton in last year’s season opener.

The Panthers are a heavy favorite this year, entering the season ranked in No. 3 in 1A, and they have been talking about this game ever since falling to Cayuga in last year’s playoffs.

Chilton is an inexperienced group, but Nail is quick to point out that the Pirates are one of the few area small-school teams that believe they have a chance to beat Mart because they have.

“They’ve beaten us on the football field, on the basketball court and on the track,” Nail said. “Maybe not every time, but they’ve done it. There’s a Mart mystique with some teams, but not with them.”

The teams are so familiar with each other that Chilton coach Robert Little said he was talking with the Mart coaches and said they don’t need to trade film because “they know what we’re going to do, and we know what they’re going to do.”

Little said his biggest concern is not getting anybody hurt because of the Pirates’ lack of depth. He’s stressing to his team that this game, win or lose, doesn’t make or break their season, but it’s just one step in getting where they want to go.

— Orts

Hubbard at Bosqueville

Last year: Hubbard 3-7, Bosqueville 6-5

Breakdown: Bosqueville beat Hubbard in last year’s opener, 38-12.

Hubbard returns eight starters on offense and will try to control the line of scrimmage with their big guys up front including 6-foot-4, 330-pound Shawn McKinney and 6-3, 260-pound Roderick Williams.

Bosqueville coach Clint Zander said the Bulldogs’ line is inexperienced and they will have to use their athleticism to make up for the size disparity.

Both teams will have new quarterbacks, junior Cole Hill for Hubbard and sophomore J.T. Antis for Bosqueville.

Hill gained some experience a season ago and has worked hard in the offseason gaining the trust and respect of his teammates, said coach Joe Heckathorn, who expects the Jaguars to be more balanced on offense after being a run-oriented team last season.

Antis takes over a spread offense that will have new targets at receiver as well.

Michael Carpenter returns at running back for the Bulldogs and will look to carry the load while Antis matures in the offense.

— Ash

RELATED SEARCHES

• Web Exclusive: Whitney, B-Eddy, Moody preview capsules
• High school football predictions from the Trib sports staff