DISTRICT 8-3A DI
New year,
new coach
By Todd Wills
Head Coach: Ted Patton
2019 record: 1-9
Last Playoff Appearance: 2017
KERENS — One thing has been pretty
certain in recent years at Kerens football
games — Bobcat fans likely knew the head
football coach when he was a little kid.
After all, from Hal Wasson to Russell Anderson
to Terrell Harris, the Bobcats have had
a run over three decades of football coaches
who graduated from Kerens (two during that
time didn’t — Keith Wright and Mike Loveless).
So new coach Ted Patton, from Cisco, finds
himself a newcomer in every sense of the
word. He’ll be the first Kerens football coach
that didn’t graduate from Kerens since the
2006 football season, Loveless’ last year.
“That’s interesting,” Patton said. “But we
still have strong Kerens ties. I have 3 guys on
my staff who graduated from here.”
If Patton needs any help with a history
lesson on Bobcat football, he can turn to these
three men — offensive line coach Jayson
Engel, who has also built a winning baseball
program over two decades at Kerens; Cole
Lancaster; and Shelton Sayles, who played on
the Bobcats basketball team that reached the
UIL State Tournament in 2012.
“They like it here and they want to stay,”
Patton said. “In a way it makes it easier [to
come into the program.] My goal was to create
a culture and put it in place. A culture that
drives itself. This is their hometown. They are
bought in. They care about their school.”
One bit of history Patton and his staff
are trying to change? A recent slump on the
football field.
Kerens is coming off a 1-9 season — the
only victory last year was in district against
Cross Roads — and the Bobcats have posted a
3-17 over two playoff-less seasons.
Patton is trying to get Kerens back to being
a playoff regular. Kerens has made 36 playoff
appearances, second only to Corsicana (46) in
the Golden Circle.
“The kids are really hungry for success,” said
Patton, who has been a head coach at Elysian
Fields and Rusk.
“Kerens has had success in the past. I remember
when I was at Arp and we were 13-1
and 12-1 and we had tough games against
Kerens. Kerens has a history of great athletes.
“Our guys have responded well. It’s been really
refreshing. We’ve changed the way things
go, working on the culture. They have bought
into it.”
Patton came to Kerens with a plan to make
the offseason a priority -- he is the state
secretary of the Texas High School Powerlifting
Association. And he’s said that has gone
very well.
The Bobcats will run the Spread with new
offensive coordinator Robby May calling the
plays. His son Brayden, a freshman, may well
be the Bobcats starting quarterback in Game
1. He is competing with Damarya Baxter, who
started at safety last year at Corsicana. Baxter,
a junior and a tremendous athlete, can also
move around on offense.
Kerens has two running backs it hopes to
count on, including Josh Brown (5-11, 170)
and Ben Brooks (6-1, 190).
“Josh is really good,” Patton said. “We’re just
looking for him to be reliable.”
The Bobcats should be deep and huge on
the offensive line with Caleb and Ethan Demoss
and also Chris Jones. Kerens will average
280 pounds on the line.
Patton hopes to have his linemen play on
just one side of the ball.
“We want to work it out where we don’t
have to have guys play both ways,” Patton said.
“We were able to do that when we went 14-2
at Elysian Fields.”
Kerens allowed 39.6 points per game last
year, so rebuilding the defense is a priority. The
Bobcats will build around 320-pound defensive
tackle Jamoyah Thomas. “For a big guy, he
can run,” Patton said.
Kerens also should be solid at linebacker
with Jason Burleson (5-10, 170). Cornerback
Jarod Brackens heads up the secondary.
The biggest test for Patton and the Bobcats?
Regaining that winning feeling after a few
rough seasons.
“We need to have success in non-district,”
Patton said. “And we have to respond to
adversity. Watching film, it wasn’t athletically
[where Kerens struggled], it was giving up
2019 SCHEDULE
at Reicher Catholic L 52 - 27
at Blooming Grove L 41 - 7
Mildred L 39 - 20
Groveton L 41 - 14
at Rio Vista L 49 - 12
Cross Roads* W 40 - 0
Leon* L 56 - 24
at Cayuga* L 20 - 7
Centerville* L 42 - 7
at Normangee* L 57 - 0
*District Game
2020 SCHEDULE
Meridian Aug. 28
At Blooming Grove Sept. 4
Mildred Sept. 11
At Rice Sept. 18
Chilton Sept. 25
At Dawson * Oct. 2
Italy * Oct. 9
At Marlin * Oct. 16
At Axtell * Oct. 23
Cayuga * Oct. 30
Bye Week Nov. 6
*District Game
an easy TD and not bouncing back in crucial
situations. We have to change that. That’s really
what my goal is.”
G C F O O T B A L L 2 0 | C O R S I C A N A D A I L Y S U N | A U G U S T 2 0 2 0
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