High school football countdown: Fort Worth Southwest

Seventh in a daily series spotlighting key area high school football teams leading to opening night, Aug. 30

Fort Worth Southwest

District 7-4A

Coach: Lanny Trammell

Key players: OL Shane Fulp (6-4, 275); QB Wesley Harris (6-1, 175); WR Robbie Rhodes (6-1, 185); WR Willie Robinson (6-1, 185); S Talor Hunter (6-0, 180); S Willie Owens (5-11, 150)

The big picture: This is make or break for the senior-laden team that won Southwest's first playoff game two seasons ago. The Raiders are in a much tougher district, which may prove a good thing. Southwest faced much weaker defenses in a 10-team district last season and struggled against the high-octane aerial attacks in the postseason. Now, its defense will be tested week in and week out to produce turnovers and its offense challenged to reduce them. Southwest's offense was balanced in 2011, rushing for 2,328 and throwing for more than 2,900. Shane Fulp, considering offers at Yale and the Naval Academy with a 4.25 GPA, anchors an experienced offensive line. Watch for this team to reduce giving up big plays and slow offenses this season.

Quotable: "We've got to get better tackling and play from our safeties. That's really a product of the competition now in our district. We had a tendency to relax against weaker offenses but they're going to have to be involved now." -- Coach Lanny Trammell

"Last season we were too relaxed in our preparation because the district competition wasn't as tough. This season, we have to prepare for every game like it's a playoff game, and I fully expect we'll get better because of the type of district games we'll have." -- Senior offensive lineman Shane Fulp

Notable: Southwest's offense rolled up more than 5,000 yards last season, but the defense averaged 70 to 80 snaps per game. Wesley Harris threw 35 touchdown passes last season against 13 interceptions.

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