The Brownwood Lions are entering their fifth season under head coach Sammy Burnett, and the move to District 2-4A Division I – coupled with the return of 24 of 37 lettermen and additions from an undefeated JV squad a year ago – has expectations as high as they’ve been in several seasons.
The Lions are looking to put last year’s 4-7 record in the past, but with the move out west Brownwood finds itself in one of just seven districts in the state, regardless of classification, where all teams qualified for the playoffs a year ago.
Burnett, who is 23-21 in his tenure at his alma mater, is attempting to guide the Lions to their first district championship since 2010, and to even greater successes in the postseason.
The following are responses Burnett shared on a variety of topics regarding the 2022 football season, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 at Gordon Wood Stadium when the Class 5A Division II Abilene Wylie Bulldogs come calling.
THE MOVE TO REGION I IN CLASS 4A DIVISION I
We’re excited about the opportunity and I think we can level the playing field there. That’s more where we match up day in and day out. We’ve always been sort of west Texas team, that’s more of our M.O. The caliber of opponents we were facing in Region II and in our pre-district games was unparalleled. It was a slobber knock every Friday night and we didn’t shy away from that and it’s helped make our kids battle worn. They understand what it takes to be in the elite because they played the elite. That experience is going to help us be successful.
GROWTH OF THE TEAM DURING PRESEASON, SCRIMMAGES
I think our defense is strong and it’s been a while. Our linebackers are really good. I think we have some good safety play. I think our three down lineman are doing a great job – Quinten McCarty, Cole Miller and Davis Le are doing a great job setting the table up front. Our linebackers are physical, we’re fast, we’re flying to the ball. I think that’s the biggest change we’ve seen.
Offensively, to be quite honest I think we’re going to be good up front, it’s just going to take us a while for them to gel and I’ve said that before. We’re still moving some kids around to find the right fit. We have an outstanding receiver corps. I think we’re great four across and we’ve got back-ups and depth at the receiver position. We have a great running back in Konlyn Anderson and back-ups to follow with Jaylan Brown and Logan McKibben. Our quarterback, Ike Hall, is just now coming into his own. He’s a dual threat kid that can run and pass and put defenses in a bind, and we have a solid back-up quarterback in Chance Jones, who’s operated the offense for two years and can come out and get the job done if need be. Once our offensive line gels I think we’re going to be pretty potent and be able to put some points on the board, and for the first time in a while maybe take some pressure off our defense.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
We feel like we have a great senior class this year that is leading well. Our kids are working really hard together, they’re communicating well, they like each other, they hold each other accountable, they’re pushing each other in practice. That culminates in great optimism and hopefully a good season.
2002 ROSTER – OFFENSE
Quarterback (Ike Hall is taking over as the starting quarterback after helping lead the JV Lions to a 10-0 record a season ago)
I call Ike the little Vince Young. No. 1, he’s extremely smart. No. 2, he has the desire to be better, he doesn’t rest on laurels, he’s extremely coachable, he’s always gathering and asking for information, he makes sure what he’s doing is right and he’s becoming more confident. With all that, him gaining the knowledge and gaining more confidence and working on the mechanics Coach (Caleb) Hill has him going through every day, it’s amazing the progression I have seen from week to week to week. Every time he’s been told something when I watch film on him, in that next week it’s fixed, so his progression is coming along just fine. He’s becoming really confident. If you look at the balls he threw against Lampasas, if he’s had thrown those same balls on Decatur we would have scored seven touchdowns on them. Then we were running the ball down their throat and they wanted to pack the box and play zero coverage and press man, and we were able to hit some big balls for big plays. Then when you do cover us and flush us and make us run, you saw multiple scrambles for 15 or more yards getting first downs. He’s a blessing to have.
Running Backs (Konlyn Anderson rushed for 1,880 yards and 20 touchdowns a year ago)
Konlyn is coming off a shoulder surgery that kept him out of the whole offseason so he’s not as strong as he was last year in his upper body. He’s still working on some flexibility and some strength, so we have some concern with protection of the football and we’re really focusing on that, maybe carrying it in the other arm or protecting it with two arms. But his legs are extremely strong and he’s a hard worker. There’s no one that is going to outwork Konlyn in practice. He just goes and goes and makes us better. His attitude is really good, he’s matured, he wants to be successful and leave his name in the history books at Brownwood.
Receivers (Four receivers return from the 2021 squad)
You look across the board at Brayden Daub and Jason Jackson on the left side, both guys are 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3 and run extremely well. We have great hands on the right side with Thad Hinds and Jordan Leach, who is moving over from the defensive side where he played safety for two years. That’s allowed us to put Case Markham on defense and play him as a safety. Case, Jake Jetton and Jordyn Nickerson are all back-ups that can go and all those kids are tall and can play. Morsello Hooker is another guy as you’ve seen in scrimmages and 7-on-7, he knows how to catch a football, so he’s another weapon we have. We have the ability to throw it any four guys and be successful. If they want to bracket JJ and double him, someone’s going to be open. The ability to spread the field and throw the ball to any of them is special. It’s one of the best receiving corps I’ve had and I’ve done this for 30 years.
Line (The coaching staff has mixed and matched players during the preseason in search of the right combination up front)
You have to be patient with them. They’re going to bust some assignments, we’re going to have some tackles for loss early in the year just because they’re trying to figure it out. When you have defenses that are stunting, twisting and stemming and all these things, they’re trying to pick their rules up and work together in double teams or as a unit and it’s difficult. But we have great leadership and it starts with Isaac Gray, who is a great Christian kid and does a Bible study for our kids. He’s strong in his faith, strong in himself and is a strong leader. Slayde Espinoza, he’s stepped up and we moved him to right tackle which is totally different than what he’s done. He’s been on the left side and when you learn to pass set with your left foot back and now with your right foot back, that’s difficult but he’s embracing it. He just wants to win. On the right side we have Damian Sanchez who moved from tackle to guard. He’s a big guy that can really block down on people and once he figures out what’s going on he’ll be just fine. We have Chris Robinson in the middle and he’s extremely smart. He sets the defense, he sets the protection for the line once Ike makes the protection call, and does a great job. He’s not big but he’s strong and make great snaps and he’s going to go where he’s supposed to be and fight like a Brownwood Lion. Roan Aguinaga and Logan Knight are playing left guard, so we’re still trying to figure out who that guy is going to be. Logan Knight has so much potential he doesn’t know yet, he just has to learn our system.
2002 ROSTER – DEFENSE
Defensive line (Brownwood’s run defense has excelled in two scrimmages)
You’ve got Quinten McCarty in the middle and if you don’t double team him he’s going to whip you as you’ve seen in the two scrimmages. You’ve got Cole Miller and Davis Le. Cole is a big guy, they’re going to have to do something with him, and Davis is smaller but what people have to understand is it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog and that boy’s got fight. I’m really excited about them because they’re hard to block. We’re able to move those guys around and they understand what gap they’re responsible for.
Linebackers (Burnett considers the group the best since the 2010 squad)
We’ve got four or five linebackers that can really play. Sam Kallman plays middle linebacker for us and is extremely physical. Chance Jones moved over to the defensive side and to be honest I told Chance that I didn’t know if he could be physical, He had the body and the frame, but then Chance started rocking people and I knew at that point we were going to be good there. Jaylan Brown is also extremely physical, as is Stevie Ramirez, and Azariah Dillard will come up and hit you, and he started some last year. This is probably the strongest linebacking corps we’ve had since ’19 with Rylee Gregory, Cooper Swanzy, Damian Jones and Landon Harris. That was a strong linebacking corps for us and we feel like we have another one.
Secondary (Shift to a 3-3-stack provides more opportunities for players on the back end of the defense)
Dryden Anderson had almost 1000 tackles for us last year and is playing the nickel for us and can move over to a safety if we want him to. Case Markham is an extremely smart guy, knows what’s going on and can get us lined up. We have two guys battling for the other safety spot in Colton McMillian and Hayden Noe and they may platoon that where they both get reps there. Looking at cornerbacks, probably the best corner we have right now is Morsello Hooker, whose done a great job. He was a guy I wasn’t that high on and I told him that. I wanted him to show me he’s the dude and what he’s done is gone out there and shown me that over the last two years. On the other side we’re repping Noah Barron, whose battled a shoulder injury, and Jordyn Nickerson whose moved up from the JV and is extremely talented and has a lot of skills on both sides of the ball.
NEW DEFENSIVE SCHEME (The Lions gave up 41 points and 470 yards – 283 rushing and 187 passing – per game in 2021)
We felt like we didn’t have the big kids that were going to be two gap players that were going to squeeze down and hold a block and come on and take on another block. We felt like for us to be able to move more and not to sit in one stationary position, that would be better. (Assistant head) Coach (David) Jones diligently worked on looking at schemes. (Defensive coordinator) Kevin Bachtel at Howard Payne has been running the defense that we wanted to run, it’s the Argyle style defense, sort of like the Iowa State type stuff. They got together, spent countless hours working together. It was sort of what we do, we just morphed from a 3-4 to a 3-3-stack and we like it. It fits our kids better.
WEEK 11 BYE
I’ve never been in a district where we had our bye at the end. How that works is they put your name in a hat, you draw a number out, and whatever number you are there’s an existing format that the UIL sends out and that’s where your bye shows up. All we have control over is putting our hand in the hat and pulling a number out.
If we can get to that bye healthy and just rest, recuperate and recover I think it’s a perfect spot to be in. We’ll be able to recharge the batteries and fill that tank up and be ready to make a long run in the playoffs.
FOUR HOME GAMES
I did everything in my power other than threatening a coach if you don’t come to my place I’m going to cancel, and I felt like doing that. I had three coaches on the phone, three coaches on the rope trying to get another home game and it didn’t work out because they would have been traveling three weeks in a row. I worked with Stephenville, Marble Falls and Waco Connally and it just didn’t work out. In the past I’ve told coaches I was going to cancel, but the problem was I knew we weren’t going to find another game. I figure playing a 10-game schedule and playing four at home this year and six at home next year was better than playing 9 games.
After realignment day, if you don’t have a game by mid-afternoon, you won’t find one. It’s very rare. We had the teams set and then started working on home and away, and it just didn’t work. I’m not happy with it, I’m not happy for our community, and I really would have liked our senior class to have another home game. I did everything I could possibly do other than threatening someone and playing a 9-game schedule to get that fifth home game. But we’ll forget about this next year when we play 6 at home.
PRE-DISTRICT SCHEDULE AND GOALS – Abilene Wylie (Aug. 26), at Marble Falls (Sept. 2), at Burnet (Sept. 9), Glen Rose (Sept. 16), at Waco Connally (Sept. 23) at Stephenville (Sept. 30)
I just want to see us play at an elite level and not beat ourselves. If we get beat on the scoreboard by another team because they’re better than us, it is what it is and we use that as fuel to get better ourselves. But I don’t want to see us beating ourselves because we’re undisciplined and didn’t execute and have busted assignments. Go play the game you’re taught to play and play it with great passion and with great joy and do it in a way that’s pleasing to the Lord.
Everything you do, you have to do it with great character and be rewarded for that. Expect to be successful, expect to win, but go out there and do it the right way. Execute, do the little things you’re taught in practice and do it the right way. Coach Wood won seven state championships in Brownwood and he always said it doesn’t matter how many athletes you have, it doesn’t matter how good your coaches are, if coaches don’t believe in coaches, coaches don’t believe in players, players don’t believe in players, and players don’t believe in coaches you won’t be successful and you won’t be a champion.
Throughout the preseason I don’t care about record, because that record means nothing. When I was a young head coach I worried about that record. Now I would rather play worthy opponents and really see how good we are, what we can continue to work on to get better, and what we have to work on to be better and either remain at a high level or get to a higher level.
There’s not a team one in our preseason that’s a pushover. Abilene Wylie has 60 on the roster. They’re big, they don’t have a ton of returners but they have a good nucleus back. Marble Falls is coming off a four-round deep run last year in 5A and has just dropped down to 4A. Burnet has a great coach and is getting better every year. Glen Rose is picked to make the semifinals in 4A Division II and just put it on Stephenville in a scrimmage and they’re senior-heavy. Waco Connally has several DI kids and gave Waco La Vega a run for their money last year and probably should have beat them. And then we finish it up with Stephenville to test our measure and see where we’re at. Hopefully we’ll run into them again in the semifinals. I think it’s a great preseason schedule and we could be 6-0, 0-6, or 3-3, but the goal is to get through that healthy and get to the point that when we hit district play we’ll be ready to go.
DISTRICT SCHEDULE AND OUTLOOK – Big Spring (Oct. 7), at San Angelo Lake View (Oct. 13), Lubbock Estacado (Oct. 21), at Andrews (Oct. 28), Bye (Nov. 4)
Anybody can beat anybody in this district from the research I’ve done. You’ve got Andrews who was picked to win it at one point, and they got beat by Big Spring last year. San Angelo Lake View has beaten people they weren’t supposed to beat. You have an extremely talented Lubbock Estacado team that’s moving up to 4A Division I that reminds me of a La Vega team. They’re not a machine like La Vega, but they have some athletes. They’re a dark horse people aren’t talking about that much. But I don’t go into any district thinking it’s going to be a pushover. We’re going to have to fight and earn everything we get.
It’s exciting for our kids and it’s new. They’ve never played Big Spring or Andrews or San Angelo Lake View or Lubbock Estacado, or teams from El Paso, or Dumas, or Canyon. The opportunity to do that is there. We’ve been picked by some to play in the regional final and that’s going to put a target on our back and every Friday night someone’s going to come and try and tear that tag off us, and we have to understand that.
SEEKING FIRST DISTRICT TITLE SINCE 2010
It’s been too long and it’s about time. We have a great opportunity, the Lord’s blessed us with an opportunity to do that. We feel like we have the kids and the talent and the camaraderie to do so, we just have to trust it and go do His work every day. Stack days on days, you can’t look at tomorrow and the next day, let’s worry about today and make today a great day, live it to the fullest because we’re not guaranteed tomorrow. Take care of now and when you look back, when that future is in the past, you’re going to realize I did what I needed to do to be successful, and hopefully that’s a championship.
HOW GOOD CAN THE 2022 LIONS BE?
They can be as good as they want to be. If we play and worry about us and not worry about the opponent and just execute and do the things we’re asked to do, the sky is the limit. As I’m reading my Bible verse for the day, I’m reminded blessed are those who have seen me and believe, but blessed are those who have not seen me but yet still believe.
You can show them AT&T Stadium, you can talk about it all you want, but they’ve got to live it. You’ve got to find a way as a coach to get them to believe that they accomplish anything, and if they do that I think the sky’s the limit for them. Who knows what the Lord has in store? But I do know this, if you’re not doing the work and not giving great effort you won’t receive that reward. We’re going to give everything we’ve got and let the chips fall where they may and we’re not going to worry about that. We’re going to let the Lord take care of that.
***
BROWNWOOD LIONS 2022 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Aug. 26 | Abilene Wylie | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sept. 2 | at Marble Falls | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sept. 9 | at Burnet | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sept. 16 | Glen Rose | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sept. 23 | at Waco Connally | :30 p.m. |
| Sept. 30 | at Stephenville | 7:30 p.m. |
| Oct. 7 | Big Spring*# | 7 p.m. |
| Oct. 13 | at S.A. Lake View* | 7 p.m. |
| Oct. 21 | Lubbock Estacado* | 7 p.m. |
| Oct. 28 | at Andrews* | 7 p.m. |
| Nov. 4 | OPEN |
* District 2-4A Division I game
# Homecoming
***
FINAL Brownwood Lions Football 2021 Season Stats
Through 11 Games (4-7, 2-3)
TEAM OFFENSE
29.8 points per game (328)
367.1 yards per game (4,038)
264.5 rushing yards per game (2,909)
102.6 passing yards per game (1,129)
PASSING
‒ Chance Jones
89 of 191 for 1,129 yards, 15 TDs, 5 INTs
‒ Jason Jackson
0 of 1 for 0 yards
RUSHING
‒ Konlyn Anderson
1,880 yards on 316 carries, 20 TDs
‒ Chance Jones
687 yards on 146 carries, 6 TDs
‒ Jaylan Brown
251 yards on 40 carries, TD
‒ Case Markham
61 yards on 5 carries
‒ Azariah Dillard
23 yards on 6 carries
‒ Uriah King
10 yards on 5 carries
‒ Ethan Pesina
2 yards on 1 carry, TD
‒ Jason Jackson
2 yards on 1 carry
‒ Joshua Hennington
2 yards on 1 carry
RECEIVING
‒ Jason Jackson
37 catches for 601 yards, 9 TDs
‒ Elias Huerta-Doud
26 catches for 279 yards, TD
‒ Thad Hinds
10 catches for 132 yards, 3 TDs
‒ Konlyn Anderson
7 catches for 37 yards
‒ Case Markham
3 catches for 47 yards, TD
‒ Brayden Daub
2 catches for 19 yards
‒ Taylor Bessent
2 catches for 9 yards
‒ Christian Chambers
1 catch for 4 yards, TD
***
TEAM DEFENSE
40.7 points per game (448)
470.3 yards per game (5,174)
283.5 rushing yards per game (3,119)
186.8 passing yards per game (2,055)
TACKLES
‒ Dryden Anderson
96 tackles, 8.5 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 FR
‒ Quentin Thompson
86 tackles, 2 FRs
‒ Jaylan Brown
78 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 1 sack, 2 FR
‒ Jordan Leach
63 tackles, 0.5, 1 FR, 1 INT
‒ Quinten McCarty
52 tackles, 4.5 for loss
‒ Cole Miller
50 tackles, 1.5 for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT
‒ Case Markham
40 tackles, 2 INTs
‒ Ethan Pesina
39 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 sack, 1 FR
‒ Zaiden Lopez
33 tackles, 2 for loss
‒ Brandon Holland
31 tackles, 2 for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 FR
‒ Azariah Dillard
30 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 FR
‒ Owen Huntsinger
29 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT
‒ Noah Barron
25 tackles, 0.5 for loss
‒ Logan Posey
23 tackles, 2 for loss
‒ Jason Jackson
21 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT
‒ Taylor Bessent
16 tackles, 1 sack
‒ Elias Huerta-Doud
15 tackles, 1 FR
‒ Sam Kallman
12 tackles
‒ Thad Hinds
11 tackles, 2 for loss
‒ Uriah King
9 tackles, 1 for loss
‒ Christian Chambers
9 tackles
‒ Morsello Hooker
5 tackles
‒ Brayden Daub
4 tackles, 1 FR
‒ Tobey Yeats
4 tackles
‒ Chris Robinson
3 tackles
‒ Seth Adkins
2 tackles
‒ Konlyn Anderson
2 tackles
‒ Slayde Espinoza
1 tackle, 1 for loss
‒ Jakson Yoder
1 tackle
‒ Slayde Espinoza
1 tackle
‒ Joshua Hennington
1 tackle
‒ Xavier Zepeda
1 tackle
***
TURNOVER MARGIN: (+3)
Brownwood 15 — 10 fumbles, 5 INTs
Opponents 18 — 12 fumbles, 6 INTs
PENALTIES
74 penalties for 626 yards
(6.7 flags for 56.9 yards per game)
