2020, Lake Charles College Prep reached the highest point in its short history, the Class 3A semifinals.

Head coach Erick Franklin feels the 2023 Trailblazers have the same drive as that 2020 team.

“I think the overall leadership has improved and the will to do everything I need done and just be dominant at what they do,” LCCP head coach Erick Franklin said. “They are not just selling it, they want to win a true championship.

“I think it is one of the first teams I have had since we went to the semifinals that had that kind of hunger. They will not settle for just being a district champ. They want that, of course, but they want to be a state champion. I can tell by their work ethic.”

LCCP has reached at least the regional round in four of its last five seasons.

“It is a good group,” Franklin said. “I am excited about this group.

“I have been waiting for this group for a while. This group is my group that has been around my house pretty much all their life. My son is the same age as them, so a lot of his friends are in this group. They have been Prep kids since they were in kindergarten, they have been wanting to be here.”

The Trailblazers’ defense has been one of the best in the area the last three years and held opponents to 17.9 points last season. That seasoned group includes seven returning starters in seniors Karson Graham (DL), Erick Franklin Jr. (DB), Cameron Hill (DB), Michael Ned (DB) and Myrtis Dightman (DB) along with juniors Bryce Richard (LB) and Braylon White (DB).

“Pound for pound, I think it is the best secondary that we have had in my years here,” Franklin said. “From corner to strong safety and weak safety, they are really talented.

“I think in that secondary, there are probably two or three more college kids. They can cover and tackle, and they are very strong. Last year, I think we gave up 17 points a game for the season and 11 or 12 points in district. I think that goes down this year.”

Franklin Jr. earned American Press All-Southwest Louisiana Big School honors last season and recently committed to Stephen F. Austin. He is expected to lead the defense along with Richard.

“Erick Franklin Jr. is very smart, IQ wise,” Franklin said. “He is physical and our best man-cover guy. He is an overall good football player.

“Bryce is another IQ guy that is sharp, very talented, strong and physical. He tackles well. He played DE for us last year and had 90 tackles. My thing is that I am really big on getting kids in the right position to set them up to be college football players. He is about 6-0, 6-1. I am not sure how much taller he is going to get, so I moved him to mike linebacker this year. Moving him to linebacker, I expect 120, 130 tackle season.”

The Trailblazers return their entire offensive line in Kyron Henderson, Brandon Druilhet, Jeremiah Freeman, Garrett Durriseau and Micah Lewis, plus sixth-man Mark Rigmaiden. Also back is 1,000-yard rusher Dy’Len Rubin and receivers Elijah Garrick and Matt Higginbotham, but they had to find a replacement for quarterback Josiah Bushnell. That job will fall to freshman Dylan Vital.

“I think the receivers are going to be better than last year, overall,” Franklin said. “Losing Josiah Bushnell throws a wrench in a lot of things, but I think we have a freshman kid who I think is going to be a college kid one day in Dylan Vital.

“Early in the year, it is going to be tough on him because he is a freshman, but I think as the year goes on we are going to see really good things from him. He has a strong arm and is smart. He is not as athletic as Josiah, but he is a smart kid with a strong arm. The good thing about it is he is coming with an offensive line that has five guys coming back. Last year we played with three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. All those guys are a year older, and we have a 1,000-yard running back, so that helps out.”