Position Coaches Head coach: Jack Brown Assistant coaches: Cedric Hobdy, Corey Krampen, Mike Reyna, Mark Reynolds, Rusty Sample, Chris Shipman Position Coaches Aug. 16: vs. West Hardin (scrimmage), 5:30 p.
m. Aug. 23: at Bay Area Christian (scrimmage), 5:30 p.
m. Aug. 30: vs.
Sabine Pass Sept. 6: at Hull-Daisetta Sept. 13: vs.
Palacios Spet. 20: at St. John XXIII Sept.
27: at Bloomington* Oct. 4: Open Oct. 11: vs.
Flatonia* Oct. 18: at Kenedy* Oct. 25: vs.
Weimer* Nov. 1: at Schulenburg* Nov. 8: vs.
Ganado* Games at 7: 30 p.m. except where noted District opponents* DANBURY — Jack Brown sits behind his desk, eager for the football season to arrive, and for good reason.
He wants to get the taste of losing out of his mouth. The longtime assistant coach got his first crack as the head coach last year when he found out late in the offseason that he would be the Danbury Panthers’ next head coach. He rushed to put together a staff and game plan for the year, but what transpired was a winless campaign while competing in arguably the state’s toughest 3A district with Class 2A enrollment numbers.
“My guys knew they were up against it, but they never quit or backed down,” Brown said. “It would have been real easy for some of these guys to get to Week 6, and we’re winless, and we still have East Bernard, Brazos and Tidehaven and say ‘I’m out,’ but they never did that.” The Monday after Danbury’s football season ended, Brown sat down with Panthers athletics director and baseball coach Rusty Sample and basketball coach Corey Krampen with one goal in mind: To get bigger, faster, stronger.
Danbury’s coaches devised a plan to get its athletes in the weight room for at least three days, regardless of whether they were in or out of season. “We probably had the best offseason these kids have had of their high school careers,” Brown said. “The kids bought in, worked their butt off, had really good numbers for 7-on-7 and had really good numbers for strength and conditioning.
” Danbury returns 18 starters, and its players are “chomping at the bit” after enduring a season with a negative 487-point differential. As expected, the school was reclassified from 3A-Division 2 to 2A-D1. The move down doesn’t cure all its problems, a message Brown has reiterated to his players, but they’re approaching the season as a clean slate.
“I’m glad they’re looking at it that way,” Brown said. “They had an insane offseason, and I think they will reap the rewards.” Danbury joins District 15-2A, which includes Ganado, the state’s top-ranked team and preseason favorite to win the state title.
Schulenberg and Weimar also were playoff teams a year ago, with Weimar advancing to the third round. Flatonia, Bloomington and Kenedy round out the seven-team district. “It’s going to be tough, and with it being a seven-team district, you have to win three to get in,” Brown said.
Brown has had ample time to prepare for the season and round out his staff, which included hiring defensive coordinator Mark Reynolds. He most recently was at Riesel but spent several years at Tidehaven — last season’s state runner-up in 3A, D2. “His way of teaching it and explaining to the kids, they’re just picking it up,” Brown said.
“He’s a high-energy guy, and being out there with him is fun. I see huge improvements on the defensive side for sure.” Brown is handling the offense, which will switch to a Gun-T this year.
Most of its key contributors will play on both sides of the ball. Jace Flora figures to be the Panthers’ Swiss army knife, returning to his middle linebacker spot defensively and a host of offensive positions. He was the team’s quarterback last season, but with a strong summer from Jace Rio, Brown wants to move Flora around on offense.
“Flora, to me, has to have 20-plus touches as a ball carrier whether that’s as a receiver, running back or quarterback,” Brown said. “He’s going to be one of the most versatile players on the team.” Whoever is taking the snaps at quarterback will have the luxury of playing behind a veteran offensive line.
The quintet of Lane Krenek, Blayze Scott, Jonathan Cortes, Anthony Miller and Jose Rodriguez all played and started several games on varsity, with multiple being multiyear lettermen. “These guys have a lot of experience, so I’m leaning on these dudes,” Brown said. “As they’ll go, we’ll go.
” Depth is a concern along the offensive line, but for the first time in Brown’s tenure, Danbury has a junior varsity team filled with linemen who can move up. Depth is not an issue at the skill positions. Kaden Smith earned second-team all-district status last season, and Brown expects a big year from the outside receiver.
He’ll also double as a defensive back in the Panthers’ secondary. “He has set the bar high for himself this summer,” Brown said. “He can be a huge mismatch.
He’s a big and tall receiver that can run and jump and catches the ball well.” Fisher Deez and slot receiver Cameron Warren will be options for either Rio or Flora. Warren’s brother, Chris, also will see time at running back.
Danbury gets an influx of talent from a pair of players returning from an injury. Peyton Hodge, who missed last year with an injury, will try his hand at tight end. Cooper Bang suffered a broken hand on one of the final plays of a preseason scrimmage last year and missed only one day to get his cast before returning to the field.
He’ll be an integral part of Danbury’s offense playing the H-back. “That guy has to be a pretty well-rounded player, and I think he can be that guy,” Brown said. Despite a new defensive play-caller taking over, Danbury will continue to run a 4-2-5.
Brown sees Cash Lamb and Cooper Bang as players set to flourish in Reynolds’ scheme. Most offensive linemen, including Jovanny Perez, will go both ways. Danbury aims to end its 19-game losing skid before it reaches the district portion of its schedule.
The Panthers play Sabine Pass, Hull-Daisetta, Palacios and St. John XXIII. Danbury’s non-district opponents posted a combined record of 7-33.
“We got some good things going,” Brown said. “It doesn’t always happen as fast as you want it to, and it certainly doesn’t happen as fast as the community wants it to, but everything I’ve heard has been positive. With the kids coming back, going through what they went through, they’re battle-tested and chomping at the bit.
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