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End of the Line for Gilmer Buckeyes?

Questions Surround the East Texas Powerhouse

(links are to team histories – Premium content)

The Gilmer Buckeyes have been one of the best teams in the state for quite a while now. They have consistently been in our Top 10 each year during our voting of the Teams Of The Decade. To go further out, they have had 19 consecutive non-losing seasons and are on a 15 year winning streak. The Buckeyes are 69-2 in district play since 2000 even though they play in some of the toughest districts in the state.

The thing that may slow that success down is the departure of their head coach Jeff Traylor. Coach Traylor is leaving to become the tight ends and special teams coach at the University of Texas. He has a record of 175-26 during his 15 seasons with the Buckeyes and has taken them to 5 state championship games winning 2 of them. In the 8 seasons before he arrived at Gilmer, the Buckeyes went 40-38-2.

The 2015 Buckeyes team will miss players like Blake Lynch, Kris Boyd and McLane Carter but they will bring back plenty of talent. Eighteen (18) all-district players return.

Returning All-District Players

DISTRICT MVP DEFENSE

DL/LB DeMarco Boyd

DISTRICT DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER

DB JR Kollin Hurt

1st Team

FB Jackson Sikes

OL Johnny Perez

DL Tristan Olivares

DL Jamaal Wheeler

LB Cambron Granville

DB & KR Devin Smith

UTIL JR Kade Clemens

ST Zac Spears

2nd Team

OL Jake Traylor

OL Lucas Garrett

K Juan Esquivel

DL Christian Loyd

LB Jackson Sikes

JR LB Kelton Collier

JR DB LaMarcus Morton

A truckload of talent both on the sidelines and on the field are leaving for college this year.  So what will the new look Buckeyes become?  Will they be the dominant force they have been for so long?  Will the new head coach continue the winning ways?

One thing for sure is that the Gilmer fans will pack the stadium and expect wins.  They may not average a championship game appearance every three years, but they will continue to be a power in BEast Texas.

(All-Time Coaching Wins)

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