What those people don’ t understand is that turning a fallen football team into winners isn’ t done overnight. Progress shouldn’ t always be determined by wins.

In year one under A. J. Sheppard, the first-time head coach vowed to build a program around family, community support and mentor kids into young men who represent Cleburne. A year later, the growth on and off the field is apparent.

The Yellow Jackets are seen around the community with youth football teams and constantly support athletics around the school. As for the product on the field, offensive lineman Trenton Clayton admitted it was a giant learning curve. For the senior guard, it was his first time playing the position since his freshman year.

But what Sheppard praised Clayton for was the fact that he was willing to make the switch from defense to offense because it was the best thing for the team.

It was a year of absorption for the Jackets. Linebacker Ameryk Salmons and running back Zaidyn Husband are some of many players who saw their first taste of varsity play in 2025 and learned from it.

“ I just had to put my head down and fight,” said Husband.“ I got enough playing time, but I feel like there were some plays that I messed up on that I could have done better on.”

Salmons described the past year as a rollercoaster ride, and it still is, he noted. However, it’ s not an up-anddown trip for Cleburne; it’ s a big climb up that will eventually hit a peak.

After 26 seniors graduated in the spring, the Jackets are left with a whole new crop of starters stepping up. It’ s hard to believe that 2026 is more impactful to the program than last year was, but with the work put in since Sheppard’ s arrival and the upcoming schedule, the true believers in Cleburne will show.

Recalling how tough workouts were last season that pushed the team to their limits, Salmons was at the point of having flashbacks.

“ Without them, we wouldn’ t be where we’ re at now,” Salmons said. Knowing that they won’ t be the biggest or strongest team on Friday nights, Sheppard pushed his players mentally in what they compared to“ Navy SEAL-level workouts” over the offseason.“ I wanted to move them past whatever quit line they thought they had. I want them to move past that quit line every single day.” The reason behind his style is what Sheppard and the players have acknowledged

—“ Nobody’ s going to feel sorry for Cleburne High School.” Though the workouts leave the

players scarred for life, they found the fun and reasoning behind them.

“ I definitely feel like he sees something in us that we don’ t see,” said Salmons about Sheppard.“ He’ s trying to help us prepare our future selves for what is coming.”

A closeness was created amongst the Jackets after going to war together, as what’ s to come is the toughest schedule in the Metroplex, according to Sheppard.

No other team in the county was dealt a more difficult hand than Cleburne after UIL’ s recent realignment for 2026-28.

An 8-team District 8-5A spotlighted by state favorites DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster and Midlothian leaves Cleburne projected last once again.

Moreover, Jacket players have seen on social media that some DeSoto schedules don’ t even have Cleburne listed, claiming them as no names.

Regardless of a win or loss to DeSoto or any other team in a stacked district, the