New Coaches, High Expectations: Carroll, North Crowley, Waxahachie & Lancaster

Eight years. Ten losses. That's the résumé Riley Dodge left behind at Southlake Carroll before departing for SMU, and it's the standard new head coach Lee Munn inherits in one of the most scrutinized programs in Texas high school football. The transition carries an added wrinkle: where Dodge built his legacy on offensive firepower, Munn's background is on the defensive side of the ball — a skill set he'll need immediately, given that all 11 starters from last year's squad have graduated. Munn knows Carroll remains a target for every team on the schedule.

Across the Metroplex in Fort Worth, North Crowley faces a similar rebuild of identity after Ray Gates departed for the University of North Texas. New head coach Demarcus Harris inherits a roster with genuine offensive weapons — two returning thousand-yard rushers and a group of young receivers — but the schedule offers no grace period. The Panthers moved into District 11-6A this season, putting them in the same district as Duncanville and Waxahachie, while their non-district slate includes Aledo, Southlake Carroll, and Summer Creek.

Waxahachie is also turning the page. Shane Tolleson left for Denton Ryan, and former defensive coordinator Lawrence Williams steps into the head role with a strong foundation to build on. Three-year starting quarterback Jerry Meyer III returns under center, and hard-hitting defensive back JayQuan Snell gives the Indians an anchor in the secondary. Williams has a reputation as a players' coach, and the talent is there to keep Waxahachie in the state title conversation.

The realignment shuffle that reshaped 11-6A also strengthened District 8-5A Division 1, widely regarded as one of the toughest in the state. Lancaster arrives in that district under new head coach Stephen Jackson, who won back-to-back titles at West Mesquite. Jackson's charge is clear: bring a state championship to WEBO Nation and add Lancaster to the list of South Dallas programs that have hoisted a trophy.