Great in 2008?

Photo by Lester Murray IT'S WINNING TIME — The Kilgore Bulldogs have looked good in preseason scrimmages against Tatum (right) and Mount Pleasant, and will begin the 2008 season on Friday night at home against Carthage, an old rival. The Bulldogs are one of the winningest football programs in East Texas, particularly since the arrival of Mike Vallery and his coaching staff almost a decade and a half ago. KHS won its district outright last season, and will be trying to duplicate that feat in 2008. The scrimmages are over. Two-a-days? Done. Photo day? Finished. The preseason talk? Coming to an end.

But the hard work is just beginning, along with the dawn of a new football season.

The 2008 season, one that Bulldogs fans and coaches have been looking forward to since the 2007 season concluded, begins Friday night for the Kilgore High School Bulldogs. The Ragin' Red will host an old rival, Carthage, here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

Kilgore, which won the District 12-4A championship last season and finished '07 with a 9-3 overall record, last walked off the turf of Tyler's Rose Stadium after falling in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs to eventual finalist Highland Park. The 2007 season was a success by most standards: the Bulldogs did lose at home to Crockett in the opener, and to Nacogdoches in a mud bath, but then ran the table in district play, finishing with just one district loss.

VALLERY This year brings the challenge of a new district, a few new opponents, and a few old ones, too.

Head coach Mike Vallery returns for his 14th season, also as athletic director. Coach Val begins the '08 season with a career record of 213-65-1, and a 119-38-1 record at the helm of the Bulldogs.

Maybe the best news for Kilgore football fans is that the offensive line returns experience, and all five starters are seniors. Colby Rosen (6-feet-1, 260 pounds) will be Kilgore's center. Vince Cano (6-2, 285), who will also see time on the defensive front, is back at guard. Big John Swanson (6-2, 295, the heaviest player on the team) is back, as are Kody Keninger (6-5, 290), Jeff Watson (6-0, 230) and Tyler Waddle (6-1, 285).

Photo by Lester Murray READY TO GO — Kilgore High School will count heavily on several senior players this season, among them quarterback Steven McBryde (above, left) and running back/ linebacker Trevor Moon (right). This year's starting offensive line and defensive line are all seniors, as is starting running back Frank Reddic. Sabit Bauta (5-8, 170), also a senior, will see time at fullback, Vallery said. Bauta returned recently from visiting family in Italy. Matt Goff (5-10, 175) should get time at fullback, as well.

They'll be blocking for quarterbacks Steven McBryde and Ken Smith. McBryde (5-10, 180) was to get playing time last season spelling the now-graduated Eric King, but McBryde suffered an arm injury off the field and missed the bulk of the season.

Vallery said his quarterback is done well this summer learning and demonstrating he has the skills to run the Bulldogs' offense.

"He's picking up everything real well," Vallery said. "His arm strength is even better than it was. We're anxious to get him out on the field and get him some experience.

FRANK REDDIC "We've got some things built into the offense for Ken Smith, too. He's a big kid, and has some speed, and we want to utilize that."

Smith is a 6-3, 200-pound junior. While the quarterbacks have only one snap between them, Vallery said he is confident that McBryde and Smith can do well and lead the team.

Running back won't be a mystery at all for Kilgore. Talented Frank Reddic (6-0, 195), who shared the spotlight with a host of players last season and still finished with 10 rushing touchdowns, returns for his senior season. Reddic had 601 yards and the 10 scores on 162 carries last year, and also caught 10 passes for 48 yards. Also back is Trevor Moon (5- 7, 165), an all-purpose player who runs with authority and will double for KHS as a linebacker. Courtney Maddox (5-9, 165) is a senior with talent, Vallery said, and Chris Crosby (5-8, 160) is sophomore that could see time.

The wide receiver position on offense and defensive back will be interchangeable. Last year's leading receiver, Cody Murphy, graduated, but Vallery said several players will see time at both slots, including Xavian Sanders (6- 0, 180), a senior who had 11 catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns last year. "Xavian didn't play in the scrimmage against Tatum," Vallery said, "but we look for him to have a good year."

XAVIAN SANDERS Back as well is Andrew Ector (5-7, 160), short in stature but long in speed. Devaron Harvey (5-9, 160) has looked good this summer, Vallery said, as has another senior, Will Mixon (5-9, 165).

Kilgore defensive end and University of Texas verbal commitment Dominique Jones (6-3, 230) will once again see time at tight end, but coach Vallery noted that the Bulldogs will have a number of players at that position, including Tyler Dennis (6-2, 200, a senior), Taylor Carter (6-2, 200, a junior), and Blayne Cole (6-4, 200). "We've got several people we're going to work in at that position," Vallery said.

The Bulldogs will primarily use a 4-3 defensive front (four defensive linemen, three linebackers), and the four players up front are good ones, the most talented defensive line since the tandem of Eddie Jones, Wayne Daniels and Coty Gatewood in 2004.

Jones will play at one end, and the bulked up Shaun Edwards (6-3, 210), will play at the other, with defensive tackles Justin Roberts (6-1, 240, a senior) and Cano in between. Jones, who was named defensive lineman of the year by the district coaches at the end of the 2007 season, was chosen as the preseason District 14-4A defensive player of the year, and Edwards and Roberts were both picked as members of that team, as well. Cano was, too, on offense.

SHAUN EDWARDS Tyler Dennis will also see time on the defensive line. In limited action last season, Dennis recorded 16 tackles, 10 solo, one sack, and had a caused fumble.

Jones had 75 tackles, 28 solo, last season to go with four tackles for loss, 4 1/2 sacks, 10 hurries, two caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries. The Kilgore coaching staff is hoping he and the rest of the defensive line can create havoc in opposing teams' backfields this season.

Roberts had a nice first varsity season, recording 53 tackles, 14 of them solo, five for loss, a half-sack, a pass break-up, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Edwards didn't get nearly as much time last season due to playing behind now-graduated starter Greg Szymarek, but made 29 tackles, 13 solo, three sacks, and had a forced fumble and three hurries. Cano had 33 tackles, nine of them solo, three for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two hurries.

JAVARRI KELLY No longer patrolling for KHS at linebacker is 2007 leading tackler Rick Thomas, who now plays for Tyler Junior College. The Bulldogs have several players the coaches will go to for the inside linebacker position, including junior Jordan Henderson (6-1, 205), Bauta, Carter, and another junior, Mishaud Austin (5-11, 170). That group has little varsity experience, but has potential, Vallery said.

Moon and the hard-hitting Javarri Kelly (5-9, 200, a senior) are back at outside linebacker for the Ragin' Red, and Goff and junior Dexter Prince (5-10, 175) will see time there, as well, Vallery noted. Moon was a cornerstone of the Bulldogs' defense last year. He had 90 tackles, 46 unassisted, seven for loss, an interception, a pass break-up, two caused fumbles, a fumble recovery and two hurries. Kelly had 51 tackles, 23 solo, one for loss, a pass break-up, two fumble recoveries and a hurry. Goff didn't play much because of all the older talent in front of him, but did get nine tackles, three solo, broke up a pass and was credited with a hurry.

KENDALL MOORE As said, defensive back players will mirror wide receivers: Sanders, Ector and Harvey will all play DB, as will newcomer Stephan Warren (6-2, 190, a junior). Kendall Moore (5-8, 150), who had 40 tackles, 22 unassisted, two interceptions, four pass break-ups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as a junior, returns for his senior season.

Sanders had 34 tackles, a pass break-up and a fumble recovery, and Ector had an interception and three pass break-ups in limited action in 2007.

When Ryan Bustin began starting for the Bulldogs as a freshman at kicker and punter two years ago, that eased Vallery's mind quite a bit. The lanky Bustin (5-11, 160) is just a junior now.

"He's getting older and better," Vallery said of his kicker. "We don't have to worry about the kicking duties with him playing there."

Bustin made all 33 of the 33 extra points he attempted last season, and hit three field goals, as well, including a long of 42 yards.

RYAN BUSTIN Consistency has been one hallmark of Vallery's 14-year tenure at Kilgore, and this year is no exception.

Almost the entire coaching staff from the 2007 season returns. The departures were Mike Collins and Kris Duplissey — everyone else is back, with one new face and one familiar one: Michael Bradshaw, a Tarleton State University graduate, joins the staff as kicking coach (he's also the new KHS head boys soccer coach), and Mark Roskos, who was a longtime Bulldog assistant before departing for Nacogdoches three seasons ago, returns to coach outside linebackers.

Chris Vallery, a former Louisiana Tech University quarterback, returns as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Keith Myers is offensive line coach. Jay Dean coaches running backs. Andy Robinson will coach wide receivers, and John McGilvray will coach the tight ends.

Mike Wood is back as the Ragin' Red's defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Les Loper is also back to coach inside linebackers. Charles Pressley is back as secondary coach.

Darrell "Red" Ganus is Kilgore's head athletic trainer, and is joined by assistant Amanda Cecil. Team managers are Sam Payne, Leo Martinez, Celso Martinez, and Rogelio Meraz.

If you can't get to the game for whatever the reason, you might want to check out Ragin' Red Broadcasting's call of the game on 1240-AM. The team of Doug Smith, Don Hedrick and Ronnie Chappell are back for another season of Kilgore football.