Increase in numbers has Burnet football excited for 2023

The sounds of excited Burnet football players echoed throughout Bulldog Field July 25 as youngsters attended camp conducted by the Burnet High School coaching staff and led by head coach Bryan Wood.

Approximately 120 students in grades 3-9 attended and got a firsthand look at the new Student Activity Center that had its ribbon cutting July 24. The state-of-the-art facility has lines drawn for every sport, pitching and hitting cages, a first-class weight room and includes a conductor’s stand for the band’s drum majors and teachers.

“It’s a great number,” Wood said of the number of campers. “We let the little guys go in there (July 24).”

To Wood, the attendance and the facility fall in line with what he has witnessed all summer.

“It feels different,” he said. “In year one, we were feeling each other out. In year two, we had expectations, and that was good. In year three, everybody knows. I feel like the expectations are higher.”

Those expectations will be on full display Monday, July 31, when the Bulldogs arrive for the start of fall training camp to prepare for the 2023 season. Burnet is looking to improve on a 4-6 performance from a year ago and 1-4 in District 13-4A Division I. Burnet was one win away from advancing to the playoffs and haven’t been to the postseason since the 2020 season. All the Bulldogs had to do was beat the Ducks in Taylor. Instead, the Ducks prevailed 41-40.

“If that game isn’t stuck in your crawl, you’re probably not a competitor,” Wood said. “The seniors feel the sense of urgency. They feel it’s coming to an end. You’re not guaranteed another season at Burnet High School.”

Coaches are projecting 40-45 freshmen and 75-80 in grades 10-12 for the 2023 season.

“Our skill guys and seniors are going to be as good as we’ve had,” Wood said. “With our juniors and seniors, it’s how we mix it up. Our sophomores being on varsity, the question is can that kid start? I do not want to put a kid on varsity who will sit.”

Two newcomers to the varsity — Rhett Murray and Marcus Pimentel —are battling for starting quarterback.

“We have two really great kiddos,” Wood said. “One of them runs it a little better but can throw it. The other is very accurate throwing it and is a good runner. Our offense can go in either direction depending on who gets it. It’ a testament to the kids. Marcus started on JV last year and Rhett was the backup. They’re fighting for the varsity starting spot. Marcus was the starter and Rhett isn’t comfortable with it. He does absolutely everything we’ve asked him to do and has performed when it’s time. It’s a friendly competition. They’re both really competitive kids.”

One challenge remains being meticulous with personnel. The Bulldogs return seniors Dash Denton and Grant Jones, two players capable of turning routine plays into backbreakers for opponents, no matter where they line up on offense, defense and special teams.

“We were within a touchdown of every game at halftime,” Wood said. “We ran out of juice. We were playing 11 on 22. We have to do a good job where our No. 2s are ready to roll.”

The players have used the off-season to improve their natural abilities, to gain more confidence, and have grown determined to have a season past the 11 weeks of the regular season. Wood pointed out the number of football players, the number of players held accountable for attendance, the number of athletes with perfect attendance, and the number of athletes who attended at least 20 summer workouts all increased in 2023.

“I think the confidence level,” he said. “They’re bigger, faster, stronger than they were. They understand the system. We had great summer attendance (85 players in 2023 compared to 69 in 2022). I’m really proud of how our numbers increased.”

Part of the reason may be because of the new Student Activity Center, though Wood said the weight room wasn’t ready for use for most of July and all of June. Instead, he credits the leaders of the program for making sure their teammates knew the importance attending and working out together.

“That facility is unreal, but I don’t think it helped this summer,” he said. “We were in the old (weight room) grinding. It’s a matter of kids will do what you ask them to do? We average 30 (attendees) two years ago. We averaged 70 this year. We’re not where we want to be, I don’t think we’ve reached the pinnacle of player leadership. This group of seniors is a talented group. Now we have guys who are doing a better job of being vocal leaders.”

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