Players to watch
WR / DB Malachi Cunningham WR CJ Kensley WR / LB Major Marvell
Matchup to watch
Aug. 29 vs. Corsicana
“ Let those guys decide the outcome of the game,” said Sheppard.
Stating that the team currently has five or six guys that can change the course of a game, Sheppard believes it makes them more dynamic.
It begins with the two-headed monster, a name given by Sheppard to describe the backfield featuring Leifeste and fellow running back Zaidyn Husband.
Leifeste accounted for over 1,000 yards of total offense in 2024( 917 rushing, 129 receiving) and four touchdowns.
Stewart will have a plethora of receivers to throw to, including the likes of Cunningham, who caught 43 passes for 751 yards and seven touchdowns, and returning pass catcher CJ Kensley. Kensley was sidelined all of last season with a knee injury.
Although Cleburne lacks the size up front, Sheppard called the offensive line one of the more athletic units in District 7-5A.
Defense
The Yellow Jackets will play to their strengths on the defensive side of the ball. Making up for the missing size on the d-line, the defense will rely on its ability to run and fly around while attacking the ball.
The acronym‘ KILL’ is expressed in practice, meaning keep it likable and learnable. In attempt to overwhelm the quarterback
with different looks, Sheppard wants the unit to play at a high confidence level.
Returners on defense include the“ slippery” linebacker Major Marvell, who had 50 tackles and three pass breakups last year. Cunningham at the defensive back position forced three interceptions and six pass breakups.
In the defensive backfield with Cunningham will be Keeylen Pollard. The 6-foot-1 corner is new to the position in 2025, but received much praise from his head coach on his potential.
Both sides of the ball have continuously made the other better in the eyes of Anderson. The senior linebacker said the offense stops the defense and vice versa, as in past years, it seemed like a one-sided affair.
Fate may follow Sheppard, who sees the similarities in Cleburne’ s attempt to rewrite the script of Yellow Jacket football.
In his playing career, Sheppard helped Mansfield make the playoffs for the first time in 28 years. While an all-conference linebacker at the University of Texas at El Paso, Sheppard went through a coaching change after his junior year as the Miners got their teeth kicked in every week.
Becoming co-conference champions in his senior year, Sheppard called both El Paso and Cleburne“ sleeping giants.”
“ Knowing where coach Shep has come from and his journey, excites us more that it is possible,” said Cunningham.
“ It’ s a great unknown. But when we run out of that tunnel on Aug. 29 against Corsicana, I’ m pretty much guaranteed our homeside is going to be full of people who are just waiting to see what’ s going to happen,” Sheppard said.
With a clean slate and a town behind them, a variety of expectations span across the program. Stewart focuses on the day-to-day, Kensley was tunneled on the Everman scrimmage for his first bit of action since the injury, even Cunningham said the Yellow Jackets should be 3-0 to start the year.
Yet, all agreed on the fact that Cleburne is moving in silence.
“ I can definitely feel the weight with all the high expectations going into this season, but I don’ t feel the weight as a burden,” said Tarango.“ I feel it more with excitement because I’ m ready to go in there and show everyone that we’ ve been putting in work this offseason.”
It’ s personal for the Yellow Jackets in 2025. Cunningham is tired of hearing the same question for the past three years of if the team will win any games. He’ s ready to flip the question into how far the Yellow Jackets can go after making their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade.
Ready to prove everybody who quit on them wrong, the Yellow Jackets know they have something to prove when they run out onto the Rock against Corsicana in week one. johnson county gridiron 2025 15