Marble Falls football strives to be more efficient in opener against Pflugerville Connally
CAPTION: Marble Falls junior linebacker Kole Becker is part of unit that was to be stingy and unyielding, two traditional traits of the Mustang defense. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Marble Falls High School football team welcomes Pflugerville Connally at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, to Mustang Stadium to begin the 2023 season.
But the Mustangs are bracing for a new and improved Cougars squad than the one they beat 52-7 in 2022.
Connally has new looks beginning with head coach Charles Burton. Burton, who played college football at Syracuse University and NFL Europe, takes over at Connally after spending two seasons as the linebackers coach at Lake Travis. Before that, he was the Del Valle head coach for eight years where he posted a 29-51 record.
“He brings a different feel,” Mustangs head coach Brian Herman said. “Going off film from last year and film from this year, it’s a whole different philosophy. Their numbers look like they’ve gone up. They look like they have more of a team; more kids came out or back out to the program. He has numbers that will be impressive.”
From top to bottom, Connally still has the same traits.
“They’re big, they’re athletic, they’re a lot faster than we are, they’re talented,” Herman said. “Offensively, they look new and more efficient this year.”
The Cougars will run a spread offense. Seniors Kaden Nguyen and Owen Garcia return. Garcia caught a 53-yard pass from Nguyen to set up the first scoring drive of the contest.
“They’re capable of scoring as much as they want to,” Herman said. “If we do what we’re coached to do, we’ll do fine.”
Herman said the Cougars remind him of Leander. The Lions found success against the Mustangs through its short passing game they turned into big plays.
“They look a lot like they’re learning the offense,” he said. “Leander had success doing what they did. Connally has a similar scheme and philosophy. They’re very athletic. They can catch and throw and run. They have a big offensive line.”
Herman said the Cougars also look different defensively than from 2022. Connally has lined up in a 4-3 defensive front. But the Cougars may defend the Marble Falls Slot-T offense differently. Marble Falls coaches will adjust as needed, Herman said.
“As coaches, we don’t know how they’re going to line up,” he said. “We have a decent idea of the schemes they’re going to run.”
Marble Falls will counter with seniors Jeremiah Bales, Jaime Castillo, Dominic Fierro and Gavin Hernandez.
One challenge coaches have presented to the Mustangs is to be cleaner and get fewer motion and false start penalties. While those were the obvious obstacles the last two scrimmages, Herman said coaches saw other mishaps they’ve stressed to the players during the week of preparation for Connally.
“We want to be the more efficient team and make fewer mistakes,” he said. “Ideally we want to play defense first and get a stop.”
With 16 newcomers to the varsity, Herman said there’s plenty that will be a first for them. They’ve had to learn lots of new such as how to warm-up, how and where to stand for the national anthem, and other situations that are unique to varsity.
“You have to practice that, and they have nothing to do with the Xs and Os,” the coach said. “From the kids’ perspective, game week is a whole new excitement. There’s the pep rally, there’s the Friday night lights, there’s the band and cheerleaders and the pomp and circumstance — what Fridays look like in Texas. As coaches what we have to do is focus in. Game one poses all kinds of challenges. Everybody wants to start 1-0, everybody is thinking undefeated state championship,” he said. “It’s going to be about the wide-eyed kids under the lights.”
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CAPTION: Mason Long is one of several ball carriers the Mustangs will count on to the move the chains in 2023. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
