Scrimmages are in the rearview mirror and real football is back across the Lone Star state this week.

If you read the 2021 edition of Big Country Blitz you saw the only predictions were how the area coaches felt their districts would shake out.

Now it’s time to take it a step further and give you my picks for the 2021 season. They are guesses, for the most part, but, as the title says, educated because I did speak to all the area coaches to get their feel for the upcoming season.

So roast me, praise me and let me know what you think as we get going with classes 6A, 5A and 4A today.

6A

There is only one district to cover in the 6A ranks in the Big Country: District 2-6A — AKA The Little Southwest Conference — featuring Abilene High. (Shameless plug: I will be doing color for the Abilene High broadcasts with long-time play-by-play man Chuck Statler this season and am very excited about it).

2-6A COACHES’ PICKS
1. Odessa Permian
2. Midland Legacy (formerly Lee)
3. Abilene
4. San Angelo Central
5. Frenship
6. Midland
7. Odessa

EDUCATED GUESS
1. Odessa Permian
2. Midland Legacy
3. Abilene
4. San Angelo Central
5. Frenship
6. Midland
7. Odessa

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
9/24 Abilene at Permian
10/1 Legacy at Abilene
10/22 Central at Permian
10/29 Legacy at Central
11/4 Central at Abilene
11/5 Permian at Legacy

Seeing Midland Legacy will take some getting used to, won’t it?

Heading into the season it seems like there are four clear playoff teams in Permian, Legacy, Abilene and Central that will be battling for seeding when district play hits. Frenship makes the most sense as a team that could battle for a postseason bid, with Midland High and Odessa High likely on the outside looking in.

PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)

Abilene RB Da’King Thomas
Abilene QB Abel Ramirez
Abilene LB Jayton Stuckey
Abilene S Noah Hatcher

LB Jacob Deax (photo courtesy Texpix.com)

5A DIVISION I

3-5A D1 COACHES’ PICKS
1. Azle
2. Cooper
3. Brewer
4. Justin Northwest
5. Crowley
6. Arlington Heights
7. Granbury
8. Saginaw

EDUCATED GUESS
1. Cooper
2. Azle
3. Brewer
4. Justin Northwest
5. Crowley
6. Granbury
7. Arlington Heights
8. Saginaw

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/15 Cooper at Brewer
10/22 Brewer at Azle
10/29 Cooper at Azle
11/5 Azle at Northwest

I won’t lie, the “guess” part comes into play a little bit more when it comes to predicting records for teams out of our area. The district record is what matters in the end, and I expect Cooper, with a veteran defense leading the way this season, to get the best of Azle head-to-head and claim a second straight district title. Brewer has 5-star defensive tackle Bear Alexander to deal with and should be improved this season. Northwest, Crowley and Granbury could all end up in a battle for the final playoff spot, with Arlington Heights and Saginaw probably looking at long seasons.

PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)

Cooper LB Jacob Deax
Cooper LB Lawrence Diles
Cooper DE Jacobe Moore
Cooper DE Darrius Sherrod
Cooper S Jett Villareal
Cooper OL Hagen Davila
Cooper OL Eli Casarez
Cooper OL Jaedon Dimas

Wylie OL/DL X’Zavier Collins (photo courtesy wyliesports.com)

5A DIVISION II

3-5A D2 COACHES’ PICKS
1. Lubbock Cooper
2. Wichita Falls Rider
3. Wylie
4. Canyon Randall
5. Wichita Falls
6. Plainview

EDUCATED GUESS
1. Lubbock Cooper
2. Wichita Falls Rider
3. Wylie
4. Canyon Randall
5. Wichita Falls
6. Plainview

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/8 Rider at Wylie
10/15 Cooper at Rider
10/29 Cooper at Wylie

The Bulldogs are “blessed” to be in a district with a pair of state ranked teams again this season as Cooper is sixth and Rider 21st in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football preseason poll. Wylie gets to play all three teams they lost to in district play a year ago at home this season, which gives the Bulldogs a great shot at contending for a district title or at least the #2 seed.

PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Wylie OL/DL X’Zavier Collins
Wylie TE Jaxon Rutledge
Wylie LB Garrett Graham
Wylie K Grayson Bearden
Wylie OL Jaxon Lunsford

4A Division I

5-4A D1 COACHES’ PICKS
1. Waco La Vega
2. Midlothian Heritage
3. Stephenville
4. Brownwood
5. Waxahachie Life
6. Alvarado

EDUCATED GUESS
1. Waco La Vega
2. Midlothian Heritage
3. Stephenville
4. Brownwood
5. Alvarado
5. Waxahachie Life

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/8 Heritage at Brownwood
10/8 Stephenville at La Vega
10/15 La Vega at Brownwood
10/22 Heritage at La Vega
10/29 Stephenville at Heritage
11/5 Brownwood at Stephenville

La Vega and Heritage look to be the consensus top two teams in the district once again, with Stephenville and Brownwood checking in a level below. The Lions host the two monsters in the first two weeks of district play, and if they can pull off an upset it could springboard them to being in the district title race. Stephenville returns a ton of offensive firepower and could be in the championship mix as well.

PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Brownwood OL Ethan Pesina
Brownwood WR Jason Jackson
Brownwood LB/RB Konlyn Anderson
Brownwood QB Chance Jones4A Division II

Sweetwater QB Leo Holsey (Photo courtesy: Kevin Wright Photography)

4A Division II

5-4A D1 COACHES’ PICKS
1. Sweetwater
2. Midland Greenwood
3. Monahans
4. Snyder
5. Pecos

EDUCATED GUESS
1. Sweetwater
2. Midland Greenwood
3. Snyder
4. Monahans
5. Pecos

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR
10/8 Snyder at Sweetwater
10/15 Sweetwater at Greenwood
10/15 Monahans at Snyder

The Mustangs look to repeat as district champs and their biggest hurdle will likely be a trip to Midland Greenwood on October 15. Sweetwater beat them in overtime to claim the crown a year ago and the Rangers will certainly be looking for revenge. Snyder has a great shot at returning to the playoffs this season after missing a year ago, and games at home against Monahans and Pecos will go a long way in their quest.

PLAYERS TO WATCH (from Big Country teams)
Snyder RB/LB Bryce Ford
Snyder QB/DB Hunter Stewart
Snyder OL/DL Troy Botts
Snyder OL/DL Xander Richardson
Snyder OL/LB Kyler Teakell
Sweetwater QB Leo Holsey
Sweetwater WR Harrison Foster
Sweetwater RB/LB Cedrick Brown
Sweetwater OL/DL Ely Barrera
Sweetwater DL Noel Mekogue

Snyder RB/LB Bryce Ford (Photo Courtesy: Reed Graff/The Snyder News