This is the first of The Athlete's Connection 30 football previews in 30 days leading up to the season-opening games beginning Thursday, Aug. 28. Today, Athlete's Connection sportswriter Chad Washington takes a look at Fort Bend ISD's 10 schools.

FORT BEND AUSTIN
Nickname: Bulldogs
Colors: Red and Black
Enrollment: 2,332
2007 record: 4-6, 3-5 in district
Coach: Tom Stuart
Returning lettermen: 13

Despite having a good number of talented players in its 13-year history, Austin continues to just fall short of reaching the playoffs for the fourth straight year. In 2007, the Bulldogs struggled to get a winning streak going, despite having strong seasons from running back Chris Wilson (committed to Houston) and linebacker Korey Jarka (committed to UTEP).

Only six starts return, but a few of them are exceptional players. On offense, senior wideout Daniel Rockett can make the big catch. Senior center Ben Hughes is one of the area’s top recruited offensive linemen. And senior defensive back Benjamin Mezak led the Bulldogs in tackles last season with 77.

The offense needs to find a replacement for Wilson, who was a workhorse for Austin last year. Also, the quarterback position needs to be addressed, although Daniel’s brother Michael Rockett may get the nod. The Bulldogs defense is always strong, and will continue to be this year.

Austin opens the season against Katy Taylor, to which the Bulldogs lost in double overtime last year after losing a 21-7 fourth-quarter lead. Then it’s on to district play, which is even more grueling this year.

FORT BEND BUSH
Nickname: Broncos
Colors: Navy Blue and Orange
Enrollment: 2,135
2007 record: 2-8, 2-6
Coach: Allen Aldridge
Returning lettermen: 11

Bush continues to struggle to find a foothold in football, suffering its sixth straight losing season. And now, former NFL player Allen Aldridge takes the reigns in a last-minute move as former coach Jeff Sowells moves to Lamar as an assistant. However, Aldridge does have some players that could help the Broncos climb out of the 23-5A cellar this season.

Senior running back Byron Newman has flashes of being a strong running back last season, and running behind senior linemen Titus Adeosun and Marcus Gray could help him to have a decent year. The Broncos run the option offense, so more running backs need to step up to help quarterback Blake Onyemelukwe and the offense to be effective.

The defense will have a lot of speed, especially in the secondary. Senior safety Dru Spady and defensive back Avery Roundtree lead a tough group to pass on, while junior linebacker Jerome Binns will try to make the Bush front seven a tough team to run on.

Bush will try the season off to a good start against Spring Woods.

FORT BEND CLEMENTS
Nickname: Rangers
Colors: Navy Blue and Carolina Blue
Enrollment: 2,517
2007 record: 13-1 (Division II Region III finalist, lost to Katy 42-0), 8-0
Coach: Keith Knowles
Returning lettermen: 3

After an undefeated regular season and a strong run in the playoffs last year, it’s a new beginning for Clements in 2008. Gone are star running back Chris Lenoir (graduated and playing at Tyler JC), tight end Walker Dille (committed to TCU), quarterback Derek Carr (moved back to California) and head coach Jeff Hulme (took the job at Mansfield). Now defensive coordinator Keith Knowles takes the reins of a team that returns only three players from last year’s team.

As expected, those three players are hoping to carry the offense. Senior wide receiver Brandon Wood became a decent target late in the season, while fullback Austin Ergenbright not only opened holes for Lenoir, but was a strong weapon on screen passes. Lenior’s successor, senior Austin Messina, ran for over 100 yards in games against Seven Lakes, Kempner and Dulles.

But there are still holes to fill at quarterback, tight end and most of the offensive line. Same for almost every position on defense, except for middle linebacker, where junior Ray Oppman returns after garnering 25 tackles last year.

The Rangers will be tested by 2007 regional semifinalist Pasadena Memorial in their first game of the season, then will face four winnable district games before facing powerhouse Hightower Oct. 10.

FORT BEND DULLES
Nickname: Vikings
Colors: Red and Blue
Enrollment: 2,396
2007 record: 2-8, 1-7
Coach: Jim Creech
Returning Lettermen: 13

After a couple years with a high-powered spread offense, Dulles struggled to get its offense off the ground in 2007. So coach Jim Creech has done away with the spread and will go back to a more run-oriented offense.

That should benefit running back Charles Mouton, the returning starter at running back after running for 606 yards and six touchdowns last year. He will be backed up by Michael Nguyen and Arthur Smith.  The offensive line has two returning starters back and one who had significant playing time last year. But Dulles will have to not only have to find a new quarterback, but will have to hope that he will develop a passing game that grounded to a halt in 2007.

The defense has some good players, like defensive lineman Josh Trevino, defensive back Zach McMillian, safety Jason Merritt and linebacker Josh Irick. But there are still plenty of holes left to be filled by a defense that was not too strong on containing the run in 2007.

Dulles faces Seven Lakes – a team the Vikings beat 9-7 last year – in the first game of the season. District play begins the week after with two tough games against Elkins and Clements, and ends with another tough stretch against Kempner and Hightower.

FORT BEND ELKINS
Nickname: Knights
Colors: Royal Blue and Gold
Enrollment: 2,329
2007 record: 4-6, 3-5
Coach: Robert Criveillari
Returning Lettermen: 20

While Elkins has seen success in other sports like baseball, softball and boys basketball, the Knights have struggled to put out a winner in football. But with a bunch of weapons returning on offense and some adjustments on defense, Elkins could be in the running to make its first playoff appearance since 2002 and its first winning season since 1998.

The Knights use a high-powered spread offense that can put points on the board quickly. Senior quarterback Dean Brantley, who started at Marshall last year – comes on to run the offense. Brantley will have two speedy wideouts to give the ball to. Senior Nick Harwell is developing into a big-play threat with his speed and hands, while junior Jordan Jolly can catch the ball over the middle or down the field. Senior Robert Bass looks to be the lone back in the offense, but senior fullback Luke Burkhalter is a punishing runner and also can catch the ball on the screen pass.

The offensive line is solid with senior center Garrett Belt as the anchor and junior lineman Jake Matthews – son of Hall of Famer and Oiler great Bruce Matthews – as the pedigreed player.

If there is one thing that has kept Elkins from being a winner, it has been its play on defense. Lack of size and depth on the front seven has prevented the Knights from holding on to big leads in some games. But with loads of linebackers like senior Jonathan Irving, Riley Feldman, Jeff Smith and Charles Baker, the defense should improve some in the trenches. Also returning are defensive lineman Phillip McKinnon, and defensive backs Chauncey Williams and Gary Fields.

Elkins will be tested right off to bat against defending 4A state champion Lamar Consolidated, then will face a tough stretch in the middle of the season that will determine if the Knights will stay in the top half of the district.

FORT BEND HIGHTOWER
Nickname: Hurricanes

Colors: Green and Black

Enrollment: 2,792

2007 record: 10-4 (Division I Region III finalist, lost to North Shore 33-9), 7-1
Coach: Shane Hallmark
Returning lettermen: 22

After losing its first three games of the season, Hightower went on fire to win 10 straight games and make it to the regional finals. And with most of their offensive and defensive weapons back, the Hurricanes look to make the next step: to contend for a state title.

Only one big change happened for Hightower in the offseason, when head coach Gene Johnson left to take the same position at Cypress Ranch, a new Cy-Fair ISD school opening this year. So Hallmark, the defensive coordinator for the Hurricanes last year, was promoted to head coach. He will oversee an offense that will be led by senior quarterback A.J. Highsmith, who passed for 2,304 yards and 21 touchdowns last year. Highsmith is also very quick and can run out of the backfield for yardage if necessary. Running back London Hamilton looks to carry the load on the ground, while Darius Johnson is the lone returning wide receiver from a group that were all recruited to top programs like Boston College, Northwestern and Houston. The line is solid with returning players like Kelvin Jackson and Jordan Becker.

Hightower also has a hard-hitting defense that returns seven starters. The strength of the team is in the secondary, with safeties Colton Valencia and Dele Junaid as two ball-hawking defensive backs. Cornerback Alex Francis is a fast DB that is not afraid to make a tackle. The linebackers are led by Alex Steward, Tomas Luna and junior Shaun Lewis. Each of them can stop the run, go into coverage and make a big hit. But Jelani Johnson is the only returning starter on the defensive line, meaning that some younger players must step up to make this defense even stronger.

Hightower’s chances for a run at the state championship will be measured in the first game of the season Aug. 29 at home against Eisenhower. Then after a week off, the Hurricanes begin district play against rival Willowridge. Their biggest game of district play is against Marshall on Sept. 18. If they win that game, then they should be on their way to a district championship.

FORT BEND KEMPNER
Nickname: Cougars

Colors: Maroon and White

Enrollment: 2,486
2007 record: 6-5 (Division I Region III bi-district finalist, lost to Pearland 28-0), 6-2
Coach: James Brown
Returning lettermen: 21

While some people realize it or not, Kempner has become a perennial playoff team. The Cougars have make the playoffs four out of the last five years and even won its first-round game three years in a row from 2003-2005. If Kempner wants to continue its streak, it will have to rely on a strong running game and a retooled defense.

James Brown enters his second year as head coach, and feels his team will have a better grasp of his offensive and defensive schemes than a year ago, when the Cougars started the season with a 3-4 record. Senior Josh Bell is expected to be the starter after getting a lot of playing time in the last two years, and rushing for 415 yards and four scores in 2007.

Junior quarterback John Shalala was solid as the starter midway last season as a sophomore. His decision-making and strong running will be a plus for the Cougar offense. Also, a good group of running backs like Ali Foh, Julius White and fullback Mmadu Biosah could make the option attack the Cougars use very hard to stop. But Kempner also has a couple of receiving threats in Kenneth Bibbins and Julius White. And kicker Ryan Clayton connected on all five of his field goals last year from 40-plus yards.

The defense lost a lot of talent from last year’s team, but have a good number of players returning in cornerback Quaylon Ewing, linebacker MarQual Spearman and defensive lineman Paul Williams. The defense is still a young group, so Brown must hope that they can mature as the season progresses.

Kempner will open the 2008 season against the team that ended its 2007 season, Pearland. Then after opening district play against Travis and Austin, the Cougars face Hightower in their first big district game.

FORT BEND MARSHALL
Nickname: Buffaloes

Colors: Black and Gold

Enrollment: 1,520
2007 record: 6-5 (Division II Region III bi-district finalist, lost to Brazoswood 35-27), 5-3
Coach: Darryl Phipps
Returning lettermen: 20

Marshall has been a factory for top college talent ever since the school opened in 2002, but the success on the recruiting trail has not translated into the season, namely the playoffs. So former Eisenhower coach Darryl Phipps comes in to try to turn the Buffaloes into a powerhouse team in the area, and he has the talent to do so.

Senior running back Knile Davis had an injury-plagued 2007 season, but he is expected to break out this year and is already high on several recruiting lists. But don’t be surprised if sophomore Deanandre Washington gets some playing time. Speedy senior Jarred Pickett played running back, wide receiver and quarterback last year, and is a dangerous weapon where ever he lines up. But Phipps believes the core of the offensive unit is the line, where junior Robert Bradford, seniors Ralph Oragwu, Jared Patterson and Jeremy Cox make up a big and strong front five.

The Buffs have always had a strong leader on defense, and that continues with senior defensive tackle Kenneth Treado and senior linebacker Broderick Grice. The secondary is young and untested, but they have plenty of speed that could erase whatever mistakes they make.

Marshall opens the season against a good Lamar team that could give a good gauge in how good the Buffs will be this season. The district schedule starts strong with Hightower and Elkins in back-to-back games in late September. If Marshall can win both of those games, a district championship is definitely in the cards.

FORT BEND TRAVIS
Nickname: Tigers

Colors: Scarlet and Grey

Enrollment: 2,130
First year as varsity team
Coach: Randy Cunningham

Travis may be playing in its first season as a varsity team after the 10th high school in Fort Bend ISD opened in 2006. But if you count the fact that the Tigers’ junior varsity team went 8-0 in 2007 and the amount of good players it has right now, don’t be shocked if Travis battles for a playoff spot this year.

Coach Randy Cunningham has experience coaching not only in Fort Bend, but he was the offensive coordinator for Spring Westfield during its run to the state championship game in 2004.  His offense will evolve around running back Denzel Billy, quarterback Alex Bynum and wideout Jake Kacal. Senior Travis Mbachu leads a decent offensive line.

The defense has a strong front seven, with defensive linemen Spencer Work and Josh Greene leading the way. Billy and Chad Moncure will be the safeties and both are pretty quick.

Travis begins its varsity season against Morton Ranch, then starts district play against Kempner. Every district game for the Tigers will be a challenge, but if they can continue to produce like they did at the JV level, they could be a tough team for anyone in the district to deal with.

FORT BEND WILLOWRIDGE
Nickname: Eagles

Colors: Royal Blue and Gray

Enrollment: 1,515
2007 record: 1-9, 1-7
Coach: Darrell Scurlock
Returning lettermen: 13

The glory days that Willowridge had in football back in the mid 1980’s and early 1990’s seem so long ago. Declining participation in football has hurt the program, but coach Darrell Scurlock is confident that the pride the Eagles had in years past can be restored.

The offense will rely on a good running game by running backs Lavon Collins and Xavier Johnson, while new starter Charles Coleman will try to hold down the quarterback position. Tight end Donovan Roberts can be a good target for Coleman, as well as be a strong blocker.

The defense is young with only three returning starters. Defensive tackle Wadie Butler was the leading tackler last year, with linebackers Delas Lancelin and Tra’von Winfrey as solid defenders.

The Eagles start the season against rival Madison, then face Hightower in the district opener. It will be a tough couple of weeks for the Eagles, but if they can hold steady in the first few weeks of the season, expect Willowridge to be in the playoff hunt.

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