WATCH: Young San Angelo Central Bobcats Begin Spring Practice

SAN ANGELO, TX -- Last year, San Angelo Central sophomore quarterback Malachi Brown was thrown into the spotlight after a season-ending injury to Texas Tech signee Maverick McIvor in Week 2. With a little time to settle in, Brown was handed the keys to an explosive offense and set out to get the Bobcats back into the playoffs.

Brown did just that, going 131-of-262 passing for 1,434 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding another 1,283 yards and 10 touchdowns on 188 rushes. The last Bobcat to rush for 1,000 yards and throw for another 1,000 yards was Braden Hucks in 2014.

Central opened spring practice on Monday with Brown continuing to grow as a leader, as the team saw him do following last year’s games against Cedar Park and El Paso Pebble Hills.

“Just more leadership,” is what head coach Brent Davis said he has seen from the junior to-be. “He’s developing the leadership that he’s gotta have to play that position. [He’s] more vocal, more confident, throws the ball better. He’s had an offseason to get bigger, faster and stronger. I think you’re gonna see that. You’re gonna see that as the spring goes on. Hopefully next year, he’ll be really good.”

But Brown will have new receivers to throw to come the fall with the departure of slot receivers Philip Lupton and Jackson Timme. Aside from returning starters Christian Gabaldon and Tanner Dabbert, Davis says competition at the position is “wide open” and a focal point for the Bobcats this spring.

“We’ve just gotta find some slots,” he said. “We’re not quite there, yet, where we wanna be. Kolten Hammeister is a returner that played quite a bit last year. He kinda had a knee issue this offseason. So, he’s kinda getting up to speed. We’ve got some young kids we like. Ty Casey is one of those that’s gonna be a sophomore and has a lot of natural [talent]. It’s gonna be a battle in the spring and see where we are.”

Youth is the trend for Central’s offense. The Bobcats are looking for young guys to step up all over the offensive side, but specifically on the offensive line where two guard positions are up for grabs by incoming sophomores.

“We’ve just gotta develop a couple of guards,” Davis said before highlighting tackles Kurt Klausner and Chris Muns and center Carlos Luna. “They’re gonna come around. It’s gonna take a while, but that’s why we do the spring.”

The 6-3, 285-pound Klausner will be the one to bring those soon-to-be sophomores along as the only multi-year starter on the line. But it’ll be a passing of the torch since Klausner had upperclassmen to lean on when he was coming up through the ranks.

“When I got moved up my freshman year, I had Gunner [Couch], I had Cam [Cross], I had all those guys,” Klausner recalled. “Then last year, junior year, with Oscar [Nino] and Gunner, I learned a lot from them. A lot of technique, a lot of feet, how to get up front and just play tough. That’s a lot of what I’m trying to get into these young guys.”

After a sub-standard 2018 where Central finished 7-4 and lost in the first round of playoffs, the Bobcats were eager to get back on the field.

“The first round out, we’re definitely playing with that on our shoulder,” Klausner said. “Nobody wants a first round out. Everybody wants to go 16 games and win the state championship.”

“By this time of year, offseason, you’ve had your fill of it. I mean it’s a lot,” Davis said. “We do a lot in offseason. It’s a big part of our program. It’s a lot of grind. So, when we get out of that and into our spring, everyone’s in a better mood.”

Central’s spring practices will conclude on May 23 with their spring game at San Angelo Stadium.