The Cardinals are motivated going into the season.
That is what missing the Southwest Junior College Football Conference regional playoffs for only the fourth time since 2010 will tend to do.
"Our standards are high and not competing for the conference and regional championships is certainly not what we are about," said Cardinal head coach Sherard Poteete, who begins his eighth year at the helm of the program and 14th overall at the college. "We have high expectations. Our fans have high expectations."
The Cardinals went 5-4 for their sixth straight winning season in 2024, but a couple of agonizingly close losses to start conference play left them on the outside looking in come playoff time. They went 3-4 in league play and finished fifth.
Though there may be as many as 50 new names on the roster this season, the Cardinals have 19 lettermen returning, including six defensive and four offensive starters.
"We have enough production returning on both sides of the ball to feel good about our potential to succeed," Poteete said. "Defensively, I feel confident where we are at this point."
The Cardinals have added 19 transfers (please see list elsewhere on this page) to help with the return to the playoffs. Included in the healthy number are five defensive backs, five offensive linemen and three tight ends.
"We definitely got better with those additions," Poteete said. "We added both experience and talent, both of which should make us better more quickly."
HOW TO GET THERE
The three keys to a successful season, according to Poteete:
1. Stay healthy – "Always the No. 1 thing."
2. QB play – "Gotta find 'the guy'"
3. The DL – "Could be special"
ROOM WITH A VIEW
Check out these numbers for Cardinal quarterbacks:
Kaden Brown (Midlothian Heritage) (3 years)
Completed 302 of 439 passes for 4,157 yards and 55 TDs. Had 9 interceptions.
Rushed for 1,536 yards and 22 TDs.
at East Texas Baptist University (1 year)
Completed 176 of 251 passes for 2,376 yards and 23 TDs. Had 2 interceptions.
Rushed for 357 yards and 4 TDs.
Jadyn Collins (Crockett) (2 years)
Completed 107 of 240 passes for 1,872 yards and 21 TDs. Had 9 interceptions.
Mike Jones (Malakoff) (3 years)
Completed 464 of 668 passes for 6,728 yards and 85 TDs. Had 6 interceptions.
Rushed for 2,076 yards and 26 TDs.
Jackson LaTour (Oviedo, FL) (3 years)
Completed 314 of 531 passes for 5,046 yards and 62 TDs. Had 11 interceptions.
Geoffrey LeFevre (Edinburg) (4 years)
Completed 544 of 927 passes for 8,279 yards and 75 TDs. Had 22 interceptions.
FROSH FOCUS
Poteete said here are two true freshmen to keep an eye on this season:
Braedon Walton – WR, 6-2, 177, Ashdown, AR (Ashdown HS)
Caydan Slater – LB, 6-0, 190, Missouri City, TX (Fort Bend Hightower HS)
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Poteete will get a chance to coach his youngest son Parker this season:
Parker, a 6-3, 208-pound linebacker, signed with the Cardinals back in February after a stellar career at nearby Malakoff High School. In his last two seasons there, he and the Tigers combined for a 35-1 record, winning the Class 3A, Division 1 state championship in 2023 and finishing runner-up this past season.
As a junior, in helping the Tigers to a 16-0 record, Parker was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the title game – a 14-7 win against Franklin.
MOVING ON UP
Poteete is the fifth winningest coach in the history of the program with a 42-25 record.
He has a chance to move past Tommy Steigleder in fourth place this season. Steigleder in seven seasons from 1957-63 went 45-29-2, leaving Poteete just three back.
YOURS, MINE, OURS
Poteete said the SWJCFC, from top to bottom, is the best league in the nation and is "anybody's to win."
"It has always been a tough league to predict," Poteete said. "And now, with rosters turning over as much as they do in a year's time, it is even more so.
"The key is staying healthy, of course, and finding "the guy" at quarterback."
POSITION-BY-POSITION PREVIEW
DEFENSE
Ends
Returning Starters: Tavion Atkinson, Zhakius Thomas
Players To Watch: Xaryuis Sheppard
Top Newcomers: Eddie Robinson
Position Coach: Tyrell Thompson (2nd season)
Poteete Says: "With two returning starters, we have a lot of experience to lean on. Both should be preseason all-conference players. Our newcomers give us a lot of length and athleticism."
Tackles
Returning Starters: Jussiah Ali
Players To Watch: Jerrell Brasher, Darrien Blackshire
Top Newcomers: Ismael Bah, Kylan Fiefia
Position Coach: Tyrell Thompson (2nd season)
Poteete Says: "There is a lot of production returning with Ali. The newcomers we have brought in or bigger and heavier than we have been at the position in the past."
Linebackers
Returning Starters: Paul Singleton III, Lazavier Amos
Players To Watch: Jacorey York, Donovan Malone
Top Newcomers: Caydan Slater
Position Coach: Blake Bryan (14th season)
Poteete Says: "I love the leadership we return with Singleton and Amos. Jacorey. York adds explosiveness. This may be the deepest linebacker group we have had in a while."
Secondary
Returning Starters: Noah Baker
Players To Watch: Micheal Freeman, Jayden Lewis
Top Newcomers: Gerald Lacy, Marquel Hambric, Malik Ganaway, Deldrick Madison
Position Coach: Donniel Ward-Magee (1st season)
Poteete Says: "We have had a good run at this position the last seven years and we could be very special this year. We have dudes who can run and are long."
OFFENSE
Line
Returning Starters: Jude Edwards
Players To Watch: Bryson Ford, Devinn Farris
Top Newcomers: Luis Moreno, Jon Pitts
Position Coach: Nate Haremza (1st year)
Poteete Says: "We have a lot of newcomers among the group of 16. We need them to come together quickly as a unit. We have lots of size and are heavier than in the past."
Wide Receivers
Returning Starters: Lamar Kerby, Germonie Davis
Players To Watch: Chauncey Hogg, Demetrius Pearce
Top Newcomers: Jake Peveto, Malick Djikalou
Position Coach: Josh Johnson (3rd season)
Poteete Says: "Our returning starters bring a lot of production from last season with them. Hogg is very versatile, both inside and outside, and will contribute to our return game. We have high expectations for the corps of young kids we are brining in."
Tight Ends
Returning Starters: None
Players To Watch: Jadin Hambrick, Sloan Hubert
Top Newcomers: Wyatt Samaja, Ahstin Watkins
Position Coach: Leonard Hunt (6th season)
Poteete Says: "We are deep at this position, and all are sophomores. We have size and the ability to produce in both the run and passing game."
Running Backs
Returning Starters: Taj Wilson
Players To Watch: Jamary Williams, Rayshaun King
Top Newcomers: Deigo Benson
Position Coach: Leonard Hunt (6th season)
Poteete Says: "We have speed here. Wilson is a tough, downhill runner. Williams is the smasher. King is versatile."
Quarterbacks
Returning Starters: None
Players To Watch: Jadyn Collins, Kaden Brown
Top Newcomers: Mike Jones, Geoffrey LeFevre, Jackson LaTour
Position Coach: Sherard Poteete (14th season)
Poteete Says: "We are excited to have three guys (Collins, Brown, LaTour) with collegiate experience. Our two true freshmen (Jones, LeFevre) give us big-time potential."
Specialists
Returning Starters: None
Players To Watch: Christian Hernandez (P/K), Diego Varela (K)
Top Newcomers: Reed Malphurs (K), Aaron Curiel (LS)
Position Coach: Sherard Poteete (14th season)
Poteete Says: "Group has lots of versatility. Malphurs gives us a big-time leg."
