Sam Houston has been on the rise for the last few years thanks to a dedicated group of players who have reached their final season.

The Broncos were 2-7 in 2021 when many of those players were thrust into starting roles as freshmen. Last year they went 7-4 after starting the season 5-0 and made the playoffs, but they want a little bit more.

Sam Houston hasn’t won a playoff game since 2006, losing in the first round nine times since then.

“We’re just excited,” Head Coach Chad Davis said. “This is a great group of kids that got thrown to the wolves as freshmen with a lot of injuries that we accumulated that year.

“They have progressed a lot in the last three years as starters. They’ve been through a lot. They went 2-7, 4-6, 7-4, and have gone up since they’ve taken over their roles. We’re just excited to see where this group’s going to take us this year. There’s so much experience on this football team.”

They return 15 starters. Twelve of them are seniors and many are three- and four-year starters.

The offense will be dominated by that group led by a pair of first-team all-district players in running back Drew Bailey and wide receiver Ayden Rose with a total of nine returners.

“The offensive skill players are probably the most experienced group in the area right now,” Davis said. “We’ve got 8 or 9 returning starters on offense this year.

“Every skill position is a returning starter. So it’s nice because I’m not having to go back to the basics and teach the little things. We’re able to just go outside and practice. These guys have been around long enough to where they know the expectations.”

Gavin Stout is back at quarterback, coming off his second consecutive 2,000-yard passing season with second-team all-district honors. Stout’s accuracy shot up last year with 27 touchdowns to three interceptions after tossing 11 picks and 23 touchdowns in 2022. The four-year starter has thrown for 5,863 yards and 64 touchdowns in his high school career.

“I’m really just letting him kind of control things,” Davis said. “He stepped up last year.”

With Rose, Ty Stout, Drew Dronet and tight end Cole Flanagan, Gavin Stout will have plenty of targets. Flanagan and Dronet earned second-team all-district honors last year. The four combined for 1,839 yards in 2023.

Bailey had a breakout season as a junior with 1,292 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The only new additions to the offense will be linemen Ulysses Marrena and Tyler Sticklin who will join returners senior Jack Davis, sophomore Albert Simien, who moved from the defensive line, and senior Ethan Monceaux.

“It’s a talented group that doesn’t have a lot of returning starters, but does have people that have played a lot of varsity football,” Davis said.

Defensively, the Broncos lost their leading tackler (Wyatt Fontenot, 86 tackles), but return six starters, all seniors, in linemen Romalis Jackson and Hutner Dauthriel, linebacker Keaton Sonnier and safeties Cooper Smith and J’sonte Duhon and cornerback Phillip O’neal.

“We’re switching things up a little bit based on personnel,” Davis said about the defense that is switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 formation. “I’m excited about what we’ve done on that side so far through the spring and through summer.

“You know, I think there’s six returning starters on that side, all seniors that are great athletes, and they take control of everything. They’ve been in a lot of different situations. I’m excited to see them control and run the show on that side this year.”

Smith was a ball-hawk last year with eight interceptions, returning one for a touchdown and earning first-team all-district honors.

SAM HOUSTON

Mascot: Broncos.

Home Stadium: Wayne Hooper Memorial Stadium.

District: 3-5A.

Playoff division: Nonselect Division I.

Head coach: Chad Davis.

Head coach career record: 14-16.

2023 record (Dist.): 7-4 (6-2).

Last time in playoffs (round): 2023 (bi-district)

Returning starters (offense/defense): 9/6

Key players lost: Conner Doucet (OL), Wyatt Fontenot (LB).

Top returners: Ayden Rose (WR), Drew Bailey (RB), Cooper Smith (DB), Drew Dronet (WR), Cole Flanagan (TE), Gavin Stout (QB), Albert Simien (OL), Elijah Scarborough (LB), Phillip O’Neal (CB).

Schedule

 

Sept. 6 vs. Leesville

Sept. 13 at Teurlings Catholic

Sept. 20 vs. East Ascension

Sept. 27 at Sulphur*

Oct. 3 at Lafayette* (Thurs.)

Oct. 11 vs. Southside*

Oct. 18 at Carencro*

Oct. 25 vs. New Iberia*

Nov. 1 at Acadiana*

Nov. 8 vs. Barbe*

*District 3-5A game