BRADY, TX — The Brady Bulldogs put a young team on the football field last year, and they took their lumps as injuries and losses piled up in a 3-8 season.
Through it all, the Bulldogs still managed to tie for third place in their district, and they nearly won a playoff game before falling 29-23 to Alpine.
Brady returns 22 lettermen from that team, including 8 starters on offense and 10 on defense.
With all of that experience coming back, second-year head coach Jaron Roberts is hopeful last year’s growing pains will pay off this fall.
The Brady Bulldogs about to face off against the Comanche Indians (LIVE! Photo)
“As last season went on, we started finding our identity a little bit, and I’m looking forward to hopefully taking a step forward this year,” Roberts said. “With all the ones we have returning, knowing the system better, being a year stronger in the weight room, hopefully we won’t have the injury bug we went through last year and we’ll be an improved football team.”
Quarterback Sean Jacoby returns to operate Brady’s power spread offense after starting all 11 games last year as a sophomore.
During the summer, he led the Bulldogs to the 7-on-7 state tournament, where they won two games.
“(Last season) was up and down for him, but we definitely saw him improve and grow as the year went on, and he had a good spring,” Roberts said. “I think he’s going to take a big step forward this year with his development and have a good season for us.”
The biggest question for Brady is in the backfield, where the Bulldogs must replace the 1-2 punch of Zeke Jones and Daryl Adair.
The Brady Bulldogs take the field after halftime! (LIVE! Photo)
“Running back is kind of a position that’s wide open for us right now,” Roberts said. “Ashton Taylor is a kid that’s going to be a junior that we’re kind of penciling in as hopefully being the lead back that’s going to take over.”
Senior Mason Airheart, who has a 6-foot-2 frame, will lead the Bulldogs’ receiving corps after earning second-team all-district honors last year.
“He’s a big target, and he qualified for the regional track meet, so he’s got good speed. He’s a big-play potential guy when the ball’s in his hands,” Roberts said.
Demarcus Reed will anchor Brady in the trenches after a breakout sophomore campaign that saw him earn first-team all-district honors as an offensive lineman and defensive tackle.
He’ll be joined by Nasir Menefield, who is an imposing figure at 6-foot-3, 335-pounds, and Adrian Solis.
“I feel like our offensive line is going to be our strength,” Roberts said. “Demarcus Reed is kind of our leader up front, and then Nasir Menefield started for us as a freshman last year. … He’s a big body, and he’s gotten really, really strong.”
The Brady Bulldogs Say the Lord's Prayer Before Taking the Field Against the Dublin Lions. (LIVE! Photo)
Defensively, Reed had 79 tackles last year. Solis and Zech Ledezma are also back up front.
Gauge Evans returns at linebacker after being named first-team all-district.
“Johnny Menefield is a linebacker who missed a few games last year, but when he’s on the field, he makes a lot of plays for us,” Roberts said.
Ashton Ramsey will be counted on to lead Brady’s secondary.
Brady was realigned into District 5-3A Division II, which sends the Bulldogs east into some unfamiliar territory with Clifton, Tolar, Dublin, Eastland and Early.
“We spent a lot of the summer as a coaching staff getting up to speed on some of those guys, watching film on them and learning what they do,” Roberts said. “We’re familiar with Early and Dublin, even though they weren’t in our district. But Tolar, Eastland and Clifton, those are new teams to us, and we’re going to be doing some driving.
“I think it’s a very good district and a competitive district, and we’re excited about it. Fresh blood sometimes is a good thing, so we’re looking forward to getting out that way and seeing how it shakes out.”
Brady Bulldogs
2024 schedule
- Aug. 30 San Antonio YMLA
- Sept. 6 Mason
- Sept. 13 at Ozona
- Sept. 20 at Ballinger
- Sept. 27 Ingram Moore
- Oct. 4 Open
- Oct. 11 at Dublin*
- Oct. 18 at Eastland*
- Oct. 25 Early*
- Nov. 1 at Tolar*
- Nov. 8 Clifton*
2023 results
- Comanche L 8-37
- Mason L 7-41
- Coleman L 14-30
- Dublin W 26-21
- Christoval L 16-20
- San Angelo TLCA W 38-18
- Early L 8-69
- Ballinger W 34-27
- Grape Creek L 13-20
- Wall L 0-68
- Alpine L 23-29
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