The eclipse is not the only big thing coming up in North and Northeast Texas in a few days. The 2024 Blue and Gold Spring Football game will give us a preview of things to come in September and after last year’s awful season, it will be interesting to see if the changes that were made, especially in regards to coaching staff changes, will bear any fruit and if players that came back from injury will make an impact. So, let’s get to it.

1. Offense-You all know Me, I am an offense first kind of guy. I love the schemes that are coming out and the innovative passing games and fun and gun type of schemes. Clint Dolezel was hired to take an offense that had been completely sputtering since 2021 and turn it around. Last year’s results left a lot to be desired, but when you take a look at a staff that was completely new along with a set of personnel that was new and in most cases in over their heads, you had a recipe for a rough year. I have seen pictures of Dolezel with all of the Lion Quarterbacks, schooling them all and that leads me to question number 2.
2. The O-Line-If anything needs to be addressed more than anything else, it is the offensive line. You can have an entire stable of stud QB’s and great position players, but if you don’t have the line to protect the signal callers and provide blocking for the offensive scheme to work, you might as well pack it up. The line HAS to improve from last year or we are sunk already. No quarterback or set of skill guys will easily overcome a bad O-Line. Good thing is, it looks like the starters from last year are back and rehabbed from injury. Add that to experience younger guys have picked up and a new O-Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator, and it has me hoping for massive improvements.
3. Defense-It was quite a shock when the program decided to summarily dismiss Kyle Williams after 3 really good seasons in Commerce, but after what has been hinted, it seems like it was a necessary move. All that to say, if the defense continues to create turnovers and be a third offensive unit, I will say that is good enough. The question is whether or not the coaching change will cause any issues and who the defensive coordinator will even be. Also, throw into that if some guys who were thinking about transferring decided to stay.
4. Special Teams-Emmanuel Adagbon has graduated which means we need a new extra point and field goal kicker and I have a feeling Aiden Martin will be the guy to take over at that position. However it doesn’t matter if He can kick it as straight as an arrow from Interstate 30 to the Oklahoma Border, if he does not have the line protection, he will have the same issues Adagbon did, or any place kicker for that matter. I assume he will remain as the kickoff guy too, or who knows what Coach Jack Welch has in mind. Mitchell McGarry returns for his final spring game, and I am curious if the staff wants him to keep hitting golf shots with tons of backspin on them or if they are going to allow him to go bombs away like that Aussie’s leg is capable of.
5. Finally, I am curious as to how this new set of coaching assistants gels with each other and the players. From what I have seen and heard, it seems like things are going well. The transfer portal did not hit us hard, which is one thing that we can say is a small victory. I am hoping to see how Dolezel handles his offense, which is now totally his responsibility. I am hoping that the defense continues it’s performance of being a scoring defense. I am hoping the line can protect our kickers and leave them with clean lanes to put through extra points and long field goals. I am desperately hoping we stay healthy. I am hoping for a lot.

See You At the Hawk on Saturday.