2012 LSG Team Preview — Stephenville Yellow Jackets

By Michael Wright
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Updated: August 1, 2012

2012 LSG Texas High School Football Team Preview — Stephenville Yellow Jackets

Team: Stephenville Yellow Jackets (7-3A)

1st varsity season: 1920

Stadium: Memorial Stadium (Opened in 1977)

Enrollment: 999 -- largest in the district out of 5 schools

2012 Schedule:
Monterrey Tech
Aledo
@ Beaumont Ozen
@ Waco La Vega
@ Amarillo
Glen Rose **
@ Alvarado **
Venus **
@ Hillsboro **

Head Coach: Joe Gillespie (4 years) 38-16 at Stephenville; 38-16 Overall Coaching Record

Coaches Comments: Team Strength: Leadership. “Those that we have returning have played 28 varsity games over the past two seasons.” Team Weakness: Green (inexperienced). “We are very inexperienced on the offensive line and we’re replacing all five linebackers.” About The Team: “I’m excited about where we’re headed and where we seem to be going as a team. I look at us on paper and I get excited, but also concerned. We lost a lot of players to graduation, but we’ve got another great senior class coming up. But our kids see the opportunity in front of them and they’re seizing the moment. We dropped to Class 3A, of course. The UIL continues to be good at keeping you from knowing things. This kind of gets us back to where we were in the 90s. We’ll be playing teams like Snyder and Sweetwater, but we’re going to see what it’s like to be at the top end of the classification. We’re going to have a bigger target on our back. People are going to come out and give their best against us. With three teams going out of each district, and us only being in a five-team district, it’s going to make each district game that much more important.”

Returning Lettermen: 16

Returning Starters: Offense: 5 Defense: 6

Key Players:
* QB Tyler Jones 3,220 yards 33 TDs passing 1st Team All-District TOP 45 QB Committed to Texas State
* RB Witt Westbrook 903 yards 11 TDs rushing 1st Team All-District
* WR Alex Sanchez
* OL Bryan Manley 1st Team All-District
* WR Brice Gunter 70 catches 1,130 yards 15 TDs receiving Honorable Mention All-State (TSWA) & DIST OFF MVP Committed to Texas State
* DB Mookie Carlisle 2nd Team All-State (AP), HM All-State (TSWA) TOP JR 6 INTs
* DL Chase Varnado
* DL JR Jonah Noah
* DB Prestin Brown

Notes:
* Will be in Class 3A for the first time since 1979

Mike Says: The Yellow Jackets move down in classification after they have made the Quarterfinals in Class 4A 3 of the last 4 seasons. That automatically makes them a state favorite this year. They will be very strong on offense featuring QB Jones and WR Gunter. DB Carlisle will is already a top defender as a JR. Look for them to go 9-1 or 10-0 in the regular season. Pre-District games against Aledo and Waco La Vega will be good ones to watch. Alvarado will provide good competition in district play and will probably be the toughest challenge in the region. The Yellow Jackets could very well be in the championship game for the first time since 1999 when current Baylor Head Coach Art Briles was the head coach.

Chris Says: Stephenville is one of the good Class 4A teams that dropped into Class 3A this year and they excitement c0uld be any bigger. They don't bring back a ton of experienced players, but the ones they do are solid. Tyler Jones at the QB position is a treat to watch and he should roll up some great stats again this season. Look for some fireworks in their schedule as they are taking on a mix of excellent 4A and 3A teams. They are expected to win the district, but as Coach Gillespie points out, one slip-up in such a small district could hand it to a team like Alvarado. Come playoff time, expect the Yellow Jackets to have a great run and be in contention and still playing in December.

Last Years Record: 11-3 overall 4-1 District

2011 Games:
vs Aledo (14-2) (W 48-47)
at Abilene Wylie (7-5) (W 42-14)
vs Brownwood (8-5) (W 66-0)
at Lewisville Hebron (6-5) (L 6-10)
at Mesquite Horn (4-7) (W 28-20)
vs San Angelo Lake View (0-10)* (W 63-0)
at Waco University (3-7)* (W 38-36)
vs Killeen (8-5)* (W 37-33)
vs Hewitt Midway (12-3)* (L 20-51)
at Waco (7-4)* (W 56-21)

Playoffs: Division II QuarterFinals
vs Everman (6-4) (at Weatherford) (W 49-23) Bi-District
vs Byron Nelson (7-5) (at Cowboys Stadium) (W 42-14) Area
vs Lake Dallas (9-4) (at Justin Northwest) (W 48-30) Regionals
vs Aledo (14-2) (at Midlothian) (L 0-33) QuarterFinals

History:
* Ranks #9 in Class 3A All-Time Winning %
* 23 consecutive winning seasons
* 8 consecutive 8+ wins
* 21 of the last 23 seaons 8+ wins
* 6-7 vs. Aledo since 2004 including a playoff losses in 2009, 2010 and 2011
* All time record: 573-361-28 61.02% 962 games
* All-time playoff History: (29)
1924,1929,1930,1933,1936,1940,1952,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999
2000,2001,2002,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011

Championship History: (4) 4-0
1993 4A - Stephenville 26, La Marque 13
1994 4A - Stephenville 32, La Marque 17
1998 4A Division II - Stephenville 34, La Marque 7
1999 4A Division II - Stephenville 28, Port Neches-Groves 18

Last 5 year record: 47-18

Last 10 year record: 96-28

Did you play for the Stephenville Yellow Jackets? You are eligible for The Brotherhood of Texas High School Football. <---click to be honored