By Nolan Ruth
X – @RealNolanRuth
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Once again, Brock is entering the football season having just fallen short of the ultimate goal a year ago. A second straight semifinal loss to Carthage has, fairly or unfairly, lumped the Eagles in with just about everybody else in Class 4A in that they are in fact very good, but not “Carthage good.” As someone who has faced a ton of adversity in high school football in many different roles, that really sticks in the craw of head coach Billy Mathis.
After running the table in 2025 with what was arguably the most talented Brock team to ever take the field, and with hardly any doubt that Mathis spent any free hour gameplanning for Carthage long before it was even official that they would play, the Eagles are still trying to reach the pinnacle of this game.
With hardly any change, yet a notable change, in the realignment this past February, Brock will still be a favorite in both the district and the region. A third game with Carthage is likely. However there will be challenges along the way, especially with a gauntlet of a non-district schedule. But there is another challenger that is quite familiar to this team, and that is the Graham Steers.
After a “down” year in which Graham underperformed compared to its standards, the Steers still made it to the third round of the playoffs. This year Graham looks much more like the team that shut Brock out two years ago in a district game. While the Eagles will still be the favorite, the path is far from clear.
The one thing Brock has going for it is what it returns. This group of players (particularly the seniors) have now seen two seasons of 4A football, with semifinal appearances in each of them. Quarterback Holt Frazier stands out. Though he was not a starter as a sophomore, Frazier knows this offense inside and out. That was proven throughout the 2025 season in which he threw for 3,445 Yards on 218 completions with 50 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions, earning district MVP honors. He also rushed for 185 Yards on 45 carries and 4 touchdowns.
Joining Frazier in the backfield will be running back Bryer McDonald, who has made a name for himself over the last couple of years. As a junior he rushed for 1,479 yards on 224 carries and 28 touchdowns, while also catching 13 passes for 148 yards. Junior Jack Farhat will also be a backfield presence, but in more of a fullback role, as his priorities will lie more with the defense (more on that shortly.)
The one thing that could be a concern for this offense is who Frazier will be throwing to. With the graduation of Colt Matlock, Brock is suddenly without its greatest weapon. Senior Gage LaRue seems like the most likely candidate, but sophomore Case Christenson will likely be a big name after receiving for 192 yards on 21 receptions and 3 touchdowns as just a freshman.
Sophomore Jett Kerr and junior Gauge Trossbach could also be weapons at receiver, but it is ultimately the tight end Davis Lee who could have the biggest impact through the air. Standing tall at 6’3 and 230 pounds, one would think that Lee belongs more on a 5A or 6A offense. His presence will be felt both in his blocking for the run game, and his catching ability.
Up front offensively, look for Waylon Winfrey to make the biggest difference on what will be a very young line. The only issue with that role for Winfrey is that he will be looked at as one of the few on this roster to play both ways.
Defensively, this may be the strongest Brock has been in a while, and that is saying something. Both Farhat and Hayden Waller are back as linebackers. Farhat was the leading tackler for the team a year ago with 117 total, yet it was Waller who did more of the aggressive plays to earn district MVP on defense in 2025. The pair will be expected to have even more success in their final season for the Eagles.
Up front, joining the aforementioned Winfrey, defensive end Karsen Sullivan is back after recording 83 tackles with 16 TFLs and 5 sacks in his junior season. In the secondary look for senior Braeden Ray and sophomore Traycen Thompson to lock down the passing game along with Christenson and Kerr. Points are already at a premium when a team faces Brock, and that should be the case even more-so in 2026.
Schedule & Analysis
vs Springtown
at Anna
vs Midland Christian
vs Monterrey Tech (MEX)
vs Burkburnett
at Glen Rose
vs Bridgeport
at Iowa Park
vs Graham
at Mineral Wells
Floor: 6-4, 2-seed
I admire Billy Mathis for many reasons, and one of them is that the man knows how to test his ballclub early. He has a way of finding the most difficult non-district opponents he can possibly find, and the first three games of the season are an indication of that. Not only do the Eagles face county rival Springtown in week one for the first time ever (more on them in the next preview,) they then have to travel to Collin County to face an Anna team under Seth Parr that has caught the state’s attention ever since their state title in 2023. Follow that with a solid private school program in Midland Christian, and suddenly Brock is staring at an 0-3 start dead in the face. Keeping in mind this is a worst case scenario, I see things turning upward from there until the district rivalry game with Graham, which has reloaded and remembers their last two losses to this team. One thing is certain, going into the playoffs, this team will be very battle tested.
Ceiling: 10-0, District Champions
As I mentioned in my Peaster preview, Brock is a power not just in the county, but in the state of Texas. Winning is expected. There is no other way to say it. The first three weeks will be the hardest, but that is not scaring anybody on this roster or coaching staff. They fully expect to go 10-0, they expect to win the region, and they even expect to beat Carthage should a rubber-match come in the semifinals.
Nolan’s Prediction: 8-2, District Champions
This may anger some of my readers, but I do believe the first two weeks are going to be difficult for the Eagles. The season opener is more about what I think of Springtown than Brock (as mentioned, more on that in the next preview.) Having to bounce back with 5A Anna on the road is a really tough draw. But I believe this program has a solid quality to right itself before things go too far south. Even the non-district game with Glen Rose looks favorable after a recent coaching change and a less than stellar season, though they do return a lot. Once district play starts, the only concern is Graham. But by then this team should be rolling, and should be battle tested enough. But do not be surprised if those two meet again come December. That game will be a whole different story.
