Educated Guesses 3A Division I
We continue into the 11-man football ranks and take a look at 3A Division I.
I call them educated guesses, like your teachers used to, because I feel I have at least a little bit of knowledge about the upcoming season after speaking with area coaches for the 2023 edition of Big Country Blitz.
This is one of the tougher districts to predict, as at least five of the six teams seem playoff-worthy.
Jim Ned won the district last season and is my favorite to get the job done again. The Indians are the top team in the district, in my opinion, but they will not have a cakewalk to the crown. Their defense should be stacked once again, and the offense, which was heavy on the run game a year ago, will likely be more balanced.
I’ve been on the Clyde bandwagon all summer and feel like the Bulldogs are a playoff-worthy squad this year. Blake Carr is a top-notch quarterback, and he has plenty of talented weapons to work with and a coaching staff that is entirely the same as the previous season, something you don’t see that often.
The northern half of the district features Vernon and Iowa Park squads that made the playoffs a year ago and will be contenders again in 2023. The Hawks return 16 starters, and the Lions return 12. Vernon has a very fast squad, and their run game is hard to stop out of the Slot-T.
Breckenridge had a breakthrough season in 2022 and is my pick to claim the final playoff spot from the district. The Buckaroos get to host Iowa Park and Vernon in back-to-back weeks, and the home field advantage could go a long way in getting them over the hump and into the postseason once again.
Bowie went just 1-9 last season but does return 16 starters. The Jackrabbits could also make life difficult for the top teams in the district.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Jim Ned
2. Clyde
3. Iowa Park
4. Vernon
5. Breckenridge
6. Bowie
BIG GAMES
8/25 Hawley at Jim Ned
8/25 Cisco at Clyde
8/25 Breckenridge at Jacksboro
8/25 Holliday at Iowa Park
9/8 Jim Ned at Holliday
9/8 Wall at Jim Ned
9/8 Breckenridge at Cisco
9/15 Graham at Iowa Park
9/15 Vernon at Idalou
9/22 Clyde at Sweetwater
10/6 Clyde at Vernon
10/6 Iowa Park at Breckenridge
10/13 Jim Ned at Clyde
10/13 Vernon at Breckenridge
10/20 Breckenridge at Jim Ned
10/20 Iowa Park at Vernon
10/27 Jim Ned at Vernon
10/27 Clyde at Iowa Park
11/3 Breckenridge at Clyde
11/3 Iowa Park at Jim Ned
BIG NAMES
Bowie OL/DL Sterling Herrington
Bowie OL/DL Jorge DeLeon
Bowie LB Will Cross
Breckenridge TE/LB Caiden Marin
Breckenridge WR/DB Alexis Franco
Breckenridge QB/DB Cam Escalon
Breckenridge RB/LB Sawyer Wimberly
Clyde QB Blake Carr
Clyde LB Jacob Louder
Clyde DB Gage Womack
Clyde WR Dai’jon Booker
Clyde DL Braylon Gomez
Iowa Park QB/LB Parker Allen
Iowa Park WR/DB AJ Smith
Iowa Park TE/LB Barrett Brown
Iowa Park WR/DB Rody Williams
Jim Ned RB Brayden Shimpan
Jim Ned OL Barrett Browning
Jim Ned LB Trey Hicks
Jim Ned QB Gray Beasley
Jim Ned WR/DB Carter Wood
Jim Ned OL Maddox Cooper
Jim Ned OL Jake Whitley
Jim Ned DE Carter Lange
Jim Ned LB Davis Soben
Vernon QB Kale Sherrill
Vernon RB TJ Thomas
Vernon DL Shyne Rodriguez
Vernon TE Greg Newton
Vernon DB Adarius Williams
EDUCATED GUESSES SCHEDULE
Monday, 8/14 - 1A DII Educated Guesses
Tuesday, 8/15 - 1A DI Educated Guesses
Wednesday, 8/16 - 2A DII Educated Guesses
Thursday, 8/17 - 2A DI Educated Guesses
Friday, 8/18 - 3A DII Educated Guesses
Saturday, 8/19 - 3A DI Educated Guesses
Sunday, 8/20 - 4A DII Educated Guesses
Monday, 8/21 - 4A DI Educated Guesses
Tuesday, 8/22 - 5A DII Educated Guesses
Wednesday, 8/23 - 5A DI Educated Guesses
Thursday, 8/24 - Week 1 Blitz Picks
Friday, 8/25 - College Football Educated Guesses
