For the first time in 16 years, the Azle Hornets have a new head coach. Two weeks after the 2025 season came to a close without a playoff appearance, longtime coach and Azle alumnus Devon Dorris announced he had accepted the role of athletic director at Wichita Falls ISD.
It only took two months to find the next head coach. Former Anna offensive coordinator and associate head coach Wilson Rigg was named the new head man in eastern Parker County. He takes over a team that very much underperformed in 2025 despite returning several starters from a solid team in 2024.
The offense has been the strength for the Hornets over the last two seasons, and the defense has been the biggest question mark. That will change slightly in 2026, especially with the coaching change. Rigg brings in an Air Raid system on offense, which will be a challenge with a new starting quarterback. Junior Auston Morgan takes over the signal-calling after backing up Derek Vowell and making appearances in nine games a year ago.
Thankfully, he will have weapons in the passing game that should adjust to the new playbook well. Brayden Combs is the biggest one after receiving for 491 yards on 40 receptions and three touchdowns in his junior season. He will be joined by fellow senior Keaton English who caught 16 passes for 201 yards in 2025. Sophomore Rendon Stephens is a new face at receiver who is expected to make an impact this season as well.
Interestingly, despite the Air Raid playbook, the biggest weapon Azle has is junior running back King Stephens. In his sophomore season, he was a big spark for the offense rushing for 1,755 yards on 263 carries and 15 touchdowns. Running will be a tough task this season though as Braxton Conkle is the only returning lineman. Rigg has said that the youth on the offensive line will be a concern this season.
After a pair of seasons in which defense was a weak point, the Hornets are returning a trio of linebackers in Hayden Cassady, Josh Guevara and Jensen Jutson. Cassady was the team leader in tackles last season with 68 total along with a pair of sacks and five turnovers, while Guevara and Jutson each accounted for 63 tackles.
The secondary and defensive front will look quite different this season as well. Jace Jones is back at safety after recording 32 tackles as a junior, and Roman Fraser is back in the trenches off of a season of 40 tackles and a sack.
Ultimately, Azle returns six on each side of the ball, but the season will likely rely on those stepping in as first time starters on both sides of the ball.
Schedule & Analysis
vs Abilene Cooper
vs Weatherford
at Irving MacArthur
at Nevada Community
vs Chisholm Trail
at Denton
vs Sherman
at Saginaw
vs Fossil Ridge
at Denton Ryan
Floor: 3-7
On paper, District 3 in 5A Division I is pretty even outside of perennial power Denton Ryan. So without over explaining, there is an absolute possibility that this team drops every district game like they almost did a year ago. If it were not for Granbury and Fossil Ridge, the Hornets would have been winless in 2025. Fossil Ridge returns, and that is the one game I struggle to see Azle losing. Before that, a relatively light non-district schedule sees Irving MacArther and Nevada Community who have both fallen on hard times. Those should be good tune ups before entering district play.
Ceiling: 9-1, 2-seed
The state of Texas will declare independence and annex Mexico if Azle upsets Denton Ryan. I cannot see that one game being a win unless Ryan gets absolutely obliterated by the injury bug. With that said though, the Hornets start their season the same way they started the last two, with a very beatable Abilene Cooper and a very vulnerable Weatherford squad (more on them next week.) Then, like I said, this district is very even on paper. As possible as it is that Azle goes 1-5 in district, it is just as possible that they go 5-1. The closest game in this scenario will likely be Denton High, who has quietly been on the upswing in recent years.
Nolan’s Prediction: 7-3, 3-seed
Aledo and Richland are both gone from the district, which is a big plus. Ryan is back, which is not ideal, and Denton High has been on the upswing lately. But do not mistake this for a weak district. Outside of Ryan, there may not be much separation between the other six teams. Most either return significant experience from early playoff exits or come over after missing the postseason in very difficult districts. This could be an absolute dogfight for the final three playoff spots.
I trust the experience Rigg brings from Anna, along with the returning talent Azle has despite its youth, enough to believe the Hornets will come out on the right side of that chaos more often than not. They may not be the most battle-tested team entering the postseason, should they make it, but this feels like a year where the wheels start turning toward something bigger in the next few seasons. Outside of both Denton schools, the season opener against Abilene Cooper is the only other loss I predict.
