What Dave Campbell's Got Right and What Could End up Different in 2019 Magazine

SAN ANGELO, TX -- The 2019 edition of the Dave Cambpell's Texas Football Magazine has hit shelves across the Lone Star State. That means football season is near.

With its release, we decided to take a look at what the writers of the storied publication have to say about Concho Valley teams and what differences there could be from the preseason magazine.

The district predictions are those of DCTF.

Here's what they got right and what may end up different when the dust settles on the 2019 season:

District 3-6A

1. Euless Trinity*
2. San Angelo Central*
3. Fort Worth Haltom*
4. Abilene*
5. Fort Worth Richland
6. Weatherford
7. Hurst L.D. Bell

What’s Right:

Central returning 14 starters will make them obvious contenders for the 3-6A crown. That’s the second most returners, only trailing rival Abilene with 17. 

Malachi Brown has turned into a true dual-threat quarterback, which is a far cry from where he was when he made his first career start against Cedar Park. He will have good weapons around him to possibly flourish this season.

Defensively, Central will live and die by their defensive line play. With Xy’Kerion Paulk (40 tackles, 2 sacks) anchoring the line with his move to defensive end, and Brady Allen (83 tackles, 2 sacks) and Anthony Gonzales (48 tackles, 5 sacks) alongside, this could be the best overall defensive line the Bobcats have seen since Eli Howard.

Trinity, despite returning just three starters, should be the favorite given their tradition and historical ability to avoid a rebuild year.

What Could be Different:

With Central returning a large portion of their team from last year’s trials and tribulations, you could see the Bobcats come home with at least a share of the district title. To do that, though, they will obviously have to beat the powerhouse that is Euless Trinity, who dominated the Bobcats at San Angelo Stadium last year.

Abilene could be a surprise team this year in 3-6A. They promoted assistant Mike Fullen to head coach and return 17 players from last year’s 5-5 season where they challenged for the final playoff spot in the district.

District 2-4A DI

1. Andrews*
2. Seminole*
3. Lake View*
4. Big Spring*

What’s Right:

There’s not much argument to the predicted order of finish for District 2-4A DI. Andrews is tied for the most returning starters with Lake View at 14 and the Mustangs finished 8-4 with an area playoff berth last year.

After challenging for the district title with Seminole last year, Andrews looks poised to make a solid run and anyone looking to take the title this year has to go through them.

What Could be Different:

Lake View should be a team to keep an eye on in 2019.

The Chiefs (3-9) have 14 returning starters and 31 returning lettermen, the most out of the district. After winning their first playoff game in four years, the wheels are finally meeting the pavement in the Hector Guevara era.

Junior QB Albert Rodriguez will likely thrive in his junior season after throwing for 1,264 yards in six games last year for the Chiefs. Safety Tony Martinez, DB Johnny Espinosa and Rudy Martinez will also lead a stout defensive corps that could help the Chiefs make some noise in 2019. After notching 11 interceptions in 2018, expect Espinosa to be a candidate for Defensive MVP if he has an encore year.

District 3-3A DI

1. Wall*
2. Eastland*
3. Tuscola Jim Ned*
4. Breckenridge*
5. Clyde
6. Early

What’s Right:

With 12 starters returning from last year’s 9-3 regional semifinal run, the no. 13-ranked Wall Hawks are the clear favorite to repeat as district champs with the Eastland Mavericks a close second.

Wall’s key on the offensive side will be the 1-2 punch QB Mason Fuchs and RB Chase Rios. The duo combined for 1,571 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns. Fuchs was also the first 1,000-yard passer for the Hawks under head coach Houston Guy and their patented veer triple option offense.

However, it may not be Wall’s offense that steals the spotlight in 2019. Craig Slaughter’s defense looks incredibly salty heading into 2019.

Joe Walker will replace graduated senior Gage Weishuhn as the leader on the defensive line after racking up 65 tackles and 12 sacks in 2018. Behind him will be a stout linebacking corps led by Colton Diebitsch and Drew Morrison, who combined for 153 tackles last season. Expect Wall to play a stingy style of defense this year, much akin to their 2017 defensive unit.

Eastland QB Behren Morton is a highly sought after dual-threat signal caller and will likely give headaches to defensive coordinators once again this year. The 6-1 junior has picked up 10 offers with eight of those coming from Power 5 conferences.

What Could be Different:

There’s not much you can argue with for the predicted finish in 3-3A DI.

Wall is a clear favorite, but no. 22-ranked Eastland, with 13 returning starters, has the potential to pull a minor upset if the stars align in their favor. Keep an eye on Jim Ned, too. They return 13 starters as well and are a definite dark horse in the district race

The biggest difference that could happen is that Wall, ranked 13th in the preseason, will break into the top five early in the season and stay there.

District 1-3A DII

1. Crane*
2. Alpine*
3. Reagan County*
4. Anthony*

What’s Right:

This is the same order of finish as it was last year for the four-team district.

Most of the teams are on level playing field as far as returning starters go with three teams having nine or 10 starters coming back. The only team with more than 10 is Anthony with 14.

Crane will be led by former Sonora head coach Jeff Cordell, who doesn’t like to lose. So, expect Crane to do everything in their power to prove this prediction right.

What Could be Different:

Reagan County returns 10 starters and 18 letterman from last season and is keen to make some noise for themselves.

Sophomores Sebastian Sandoval and Alex Sosa look to have breakout years in 2019. Sandoval racked up 850 total yards for the Owls’ last season as QB while Sosa showed signs of potential with 420 yards rushing in his freshman year.

Don’t overlook Anthony either. The Wildcats have 14 returning starters and 25 returning letterman. They’ll be led by QB Rick Alvarez, who threw for 1,700 yards last year. He’ll be a big focal point for the Wildcats.

District 4-3A DII

1. Cisco*
2. Ballinger*
3. Anson*
4. Merkel*
5. Bangs
6. Grape Creek
7. Coleman
8. TLCA

What’s Right:

All roads should go through Cisco. They’re the most storied program in this district and are poised to make another run with 10 starters returning. They feel they need to after a disappointing season that ended in the bi-district round.

Ballinger is rightfully predicted as the first contender for Cisco’s crown, although the games aren’t played on paper.

What Could be Different:

Ballinger is a team that Cisco or anyone can't overlook. With quarterback Edgar Nunez developing into a true dual-threat QB and 16 starters returning, the Bearcats have a legitimate chance at their first district title since 2008.

Grape Creek could also be a deceptive team this season. Coming off a 3-7 season in the first year under Tanner Thiel, the Eagles look poised to make a quiet run a playoff spot. They return 13 starters from last year, including speedsters Benji Armendariz and Kairo De La Torre.

Anson is also a dark horse for this district with 18 returning starters. Don’t be surprised if the Tigers make a run at the district title this year after a 5-2 showing in district play last year.

District 13-3A DII

1. Blanco*
2. Sonora*
3. Ingram Moore*
4. Comfort*
5. Brady
6. Johnson City

What’s Right:

After going 10-3 to claim their first winning season in three years, the Blanco Panthers should be the favorite on paper with 10 starters returning. But that’s just on paper.

Sonora will also likely be a contender for a top spot with 10 returning starters. So, second is not an unfathomable finish for the Broncos after a 5-6 year last year.

What Could be Different:

Brady is once again a dark horse in this district. This year they return 17 starters, three fewer than last year, and put on a good show at the state 7-on-7 tournament to indicate a possible revival this season. They were 2-8 last season and one win away from a playoff spot, which they haven’t had since 2016.

Keep an eye on Brady’s Jack Marshall and Walker Bauer. Marshall proved he has speed by medaling at the Class 3A state track meet and Bauer is set to improve off a junior season that saw him rack up 1,500 total yards and 20 touchdowns to go with 107 tackles on defense.

Sonora is also going through a summer overhaul, which has not equated well for teams historically. However, with the UIL’s new summer training rules and first-year head coach Kevin Sherrill opting for a run-oriented offense, the late overhaul could prove to be a mute point.

The Broncos have the players in Brock Aschenbeck and Wilson Johnson to make this run-oriented offense work.

District 3-2A DI

1. Hawley*
2. Stamford*
3. Winters*
4. Ozona*
5. Forsan

What’s right:

Hawley looks like they can make a deep playoff run with 15 returning starters from their district title team last year and Stamford will miss their star QB Peyton Bevel, but they’re still a contender based on their history alone.

Winters is likely to experience a few growing pains with nine starters returning, but should still be in the running for the title behind preseason defensive MVP Hunter Duggan.

Ozona is still looking to make a name for themselves and has a lot to prove in 2019.

What Could be Different:

Ozona is an interesting team to keep an eye on. They have 17 starters returning, including RBs Abraham Rodriguez and Sebastian De La Cruz and QB Alec Lara.

That trio will also be supplemented with Justin Yeager at receiver. Yeager had a good showing during 7-on-7 this summer and could be the piece the Lions need to make a run this year.

Winters, a run-oriented offense, showed capability in passing this season by nearly qualifying for the state 7-on-7 tournament. An added wrinkle to an already difficult offense to defend could be something for the Blizzards to counteract losing Jovan Young under center.

District 14-2A DI

1. Mason*
2. Brackettville*
3. Junction*
4. Center Point*
5. Harper
6. Sabinal

What’s Right:

Can you argue against Mason being the preseason favorite after their dominant state title run in 2018? They held opponents to just under seven points per game and won by an average of 35 points last season. They return four starters on each side and have local product Michael McLeod leading the charge now as head coach. Behind seniors Klay Klaerner and Slone Stultz, the Punchers are keen to keep imposing their brutish style of play to defend their title even though a sixth consecutive meeting with Refugio looms.

Junction looks respectable at third with 12 starters returning and a new head coach in John Contrucci. They will definitely improve from a 2-9 record last season. Receiver Isaac Rosas will possibly be the focal point of the offense as the year goes on.

What Could be Different:

Keep an eye on Harper. Former Iraan head coach Mark Kirchoff is at the helm with a storied past in his back pocket. The Longhorns return 13 starters, the second most of the district. They get Sean Baethge back after putting up 1,490 total yards and 21 touchdowns.

Brackettville has a chance to contend as well with 17 starters back from last year’s second place district finish. Although, it will take a lot to beat what looks to be another dominant Mason team.

While nobody is necessarily doubting Mason’s ability, they were ranked second in the preseason poll behind Refugio. It may take a lot to unseed the Bobcats who return 14 starters from last year’s run, but the likely inevitable sixth installment of the rivalry will definitely determine who is number one.

District 8-2A DII

1. Christoval*
2. Eldorado*
3. Miles*
4. Rocksprings*
5. Menard

What’s Right:

Christoval and Eldorado should finish first and second, but who will take first place remains to be seen. Both teams return 18 and 16 starters respectively, the most of any other team in the district.

All signs point to a rematch in Week 11 for the district championship, barring a surprising run from any other team.

Miles, with 10 starters back on defense, looks like they will make a decent run with a chance to beat the likes of Christoval and Eldorado.

What Could be Different:

One thing will surely be different -- Irion County not in the district. The Hornets dropped to six-man after struggling in 2018. That’s led to a reshuffle of schedules and teams who haven’t filled a bye week will have two in 2019. That will make the district more competitive from top to bottom this year.

Menard was hit hard with Murphy’s Law in 2018. Anything that could go wrong for the Yellowjackets, did go wrong last year. Plagued with injuries, Menard went 4-6 and missed the playoffs for the first time in four years. They have 12 returning starters and a once inexperienced team should reap the benefits of last year’s playing time in 2019. Expect them to challenge for a playoff spot.

District 8-1A DI

1. Sterling City*
2. Garden City*
3. Roscoe Highland
4. Water Valley
5. Westbrook

What’s Right:

Despite a 13-1 state semifinal run in 2018, the Garden City Bearkats have a lot to prove in 2019 with utility man Hunter McMillan coming back as their only returning starter. 

On the flip side, Sterling City has an embarrassment of riches after battling through injuries to get to a 9-2 record. The Eagles have nine starters back, including five on the offensive side. They are rightly the favorite to win 8-1A.

What Could be Different:

Don’t be surprised if the Bearkats make a run at another district title even though they have plenty of work to do. They have tradition to lean on and head coach Jeff Jones can put a squad together with the best of them.

Water Valley had a heavy freshman presence last season and that could be a big benefit for the Wildcats, who return eight starters. They still have to prove they’ve matured and new head coach Nathan Hayes is an unknown variable to that equation. His state championship pedigree could be enough to tip the scales in favor of the Wildcats.

District 13-1A DI

1. Eden*
2. Robert Lee*
3. Veribest
4. Bronte
5. Paint Rock

What’s Right:

Eden is in a spot to make a good run with three starters back on offense and one on defense. They went 6-4 and claimed their first district title in the six-man history of the school. Their spark plug Hunner Rodgers is back after posting 2,881 yards and 51 touchdowns in 2018. They’re also under the leadership of Shay Avants, who almost led the Robert Lee Steers to the title over Eden a year ago. With him came Manuel Gamboa and his son, Julian, who will likely make an impact.

Expect Robert Lee to be in the thick of the district title race once again. They got hall of famer Karry Owens out of retirement and he inherits a team of six total returners. Heading up that group of returners are Lane Fowler and Casey Skipworth. Fowler had over 700 yards of total offense and 18 touchdowns for the Steers.

What Could be Different:

Paint Rock looks intriguing. The Indians haven’t had a winning season since 2011 and have been in the middle of a five-year coaching carousel. Jeremy Wooten is the fifth coach in as many years for the Indians and he gets five starters back on each side of the ball. While they didn’t win a game in nine tries last year, that experience could be big for Paint Rock and they could snag a few wins this season.