Breckenridge Texan

By Brant Thurmond|Breckenridge Texan

Summer workouts, two-a-day practices and several scrimmages have all come and gone for the Breckenridge Buckaroo football team. That can only mean one thing for the Bucks: IT’S GAME TIME.

The Buckaroos are set to take on the Jacksboro Tigers at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Friday, Aug. 28, at Tiger Stadium in Jacksboro.

Jacksboro finished 8-4 last year and lived up to the pre-season pick of district champion. They went two rounds deep in the 2019 playoffs before eventually being beat out by Rogers 46-14 in the Area round.

The Tigers return roughly 20 seniors from last year’s team and have key returners in quarterback Jordan Yount, who took over following an injury to then-quarterback Landon Davenport, according to the Jacksboro Herald-Gazette’s 2020 Fall Sports Preview by Brian Smith. Yount will remain at the quarterback position, while Davenport will be at various skill positions, depending on the formation the Tigers are in.

Dylan Thomas will see most of the carries at running back while waiting for Caleb Helm to return from an injury.

One of the biggest challenges that could be facing the Buckaroos in the running game is blocking a stealth defensive line for the Tigers.

Linemen Randall Hamilton, Jayle Lewis, Caiden Vasquez, Thomas, Edwin Salazar and Davenport at linebacker will lead the way for Jacksboro and make things challenging for the Bucks.

For the Bucks, two inter-squad scrimmages and a scrimmage against Mineral Wells last week have given them a chance to fine tune some things before Friday’s opener.

Buckaroo head football coach Casey Pearce said one of the highlights to the Mineral Wells scrimmage was how the team responded after having a few setbacks.

“We got punched in the mouth, and I thought we responded and competed,” Pearce said. “The emotions ran a little high, even in the JV part. There is a lot of learning to do from this, but I was proud of the way they competed. They came out here, and they did not back down. I think we got a chance to turn the tide and get it fixed.”

Pearce was also proud of how the Bucks responded after not having much time in the spring to learn a new system due to COVID-19.

“That’s the first time we have been on the field doing any kind of competitive activities in a long time,” Pearce said. “We got guys that have not played varsity football. I think the way we have practiced leading up to this point has prepped them. If we clean things up, we have a chance to take a step each week and that is what we got to do. We cannot worry about everybody else. We got to worry about us. If we worry about us and do the things we need to do each day to get better, we have a chance to improve and be ready to play Jacksboro.”

Pearce said the Bucks have their work cut out for them in facing the Tigers of Jacksboro.

“They have a lot of kids back on that roster and are ranked in a few polls. We got our work cut out for us,” Pearce said. “They are going to be well coached, and they are going to get after us. We’re going to play four quarters, and we must find a way to utilize the kicking game.And we are going to have to play solid on the offensive and defensive line. That’s where we are going to win football games.”

With more of a traditional run first approach on offense, the Bucks will lean on a stout offensive line that has only 2 of the 12 offensive linemen on the roster under 200 pounds.

To accompany the offensive line, most of those players are listed as defensive linemen as well, and Pearce said he plans to rotate several players on the defensive line to go along with a three-man front.

“It (the defensive front) gives us some variety and variation. It gives us a chance to pressure, but I also think it plays to some of these kids’ strengths,” Pearce said. “We are going to rotate players. The defensive line, we rolled it about 15 or 20 times tonight (Mineral Wells scrimmage).”

Running behind that big offensive line, the Bucks will have Jerry Lawson and Anson Rodgers back in the backfield; both were among those seeing playing time as freshmen in 2019.

Rodgers and Jonas Arrellano will see most of the carries, but Lawson will play some tailback and get some carries as well.

At the receiver positions, look for Tyler Valdez, Colby Stober, J. Eutimio, King and Zeke Castillo to be the go to group for quarterback Henry Johnson.

Friday’s game will be broadcast on KLXK-93.5 FM for anyone who cannot attend the game.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all tickets will need to be purchased ahead of the game and can be found at the following link. https://tx50000103.schoolwires.net/domain/1343.

Cutline, top photo: The Breckenridge Buckaroos varsity football team will travel to Jacksboro today to take on the Tigers in the first game of the season. (Photo courtesy of BISD)