VYPE's Preseason Top 10 4A Teams-- No. 1 Brenham

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Brenham Cubs

Back to the Big Dance

2010 Overall Record - 10-1 Overall

Fell in the First Round

By Armard Vital

Glimpses of that bi-district playoff game against Kingwood Park last season is something like a bad dream for the Brenham football team. In a year where they were slated to get back to the state game to have a rematch against Aledo, the Cubs were shocked the first week into the postseason.

But nearly everyone in the Cubs' organization can assure the Texas football community that this will not happen again.

"When we were working out this off season, that game reminded me where we don't want to be for our senior year," linebacker Tim Cole said. "We had a lot of potential and fell short."

Seeing that many of the top players on that team last year were juniors, expectations again will be high as coach Glen West returns 11 starters, seven of which are on the defensive side of the ball. And while the offense can usually put up some outstanding numbers, the defense is the soul of the squad.

Last season, the Cubs gave up just over 10 points a game, including two shutouts and two games where their opponents did not score a touchdown. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound Cole played a big role, recording over 60 tackles and three sacks. Jerrid Jeter-Gilmon (6-foot, 202-pounds) also returns at linebacker. As for Cole, he made an early commitment to the University of Texas. But he will not be traveling to Austin alone.

At defensive tackle, future Longhorn Malcolm Brown (6-foot-3, 292-pounds) will hold things down in the interior. Brown was the team's leading tackler with 72 tackles and four sacks. In the secondary, Robert Felder and Shea Nutt are the top guys returning. Felder led the team with three interceptions.

Offensively, the Cubs have a couple of proven guys with running back Troy Green and wide receiver Tremund Moore. Green, who has verbally committed to Texas A&M, ran for 1,155 yards and 17 touchdowns and Moore had 35 receptions for 595 yards and eight touchdowns. Dean Haveman will get the starting nod for 2011 after watching Ty Schlottmann operate for many years prior.

Up front, Haveman will have a veteran in Adrian Bellard leading the way in protection. Bellard, like Green made any early pledge to the Aggies.

All in all, look for the Cubs to get back to level they were two years ago.

"It was good to see how we all came together this off season," Cole said. "We had a lot of young guys step up and it was a chance to see what our identity was going to be for next year. We are going to show up each week as a hard-working football team."

The Keys To 2011

Really, for Brenham there is just the matter of staying the course and execution. The Cubs have the talent, personnel, coaching and the experience. If they show up each week, there is not much doubt that they could be back in the state game for this season.

The Schedule

08/26 Huntsville

09/03 @ Lamar Consolidated

09/09 @ Lamar

09/23@ Magnolia West

09/30 Waller

10/08 @ Spring Woods

10/14 @ Montgomery

10/21 Northbrook

10/28 @ Magnolia

11/04 Stratford