High school football countdown: Mansfield Timberview

Mansfield Timberview

District 7-5A

Coach: James Brown

Last season: 12-3 (5-2 in District 5-5A), lost to Spring Dekaney 56-19 in state semifinals

Key players: FS Trevor Walker (6-0, 185); DB Edward Parris (6-1, 190); RB Josh Smith (5-5, 190); WR Tyler Harris (6-4, 165); QB Avery Gilbert (6-1, 200); LB Maurice Smith (6-0, 190)

The big picture: New coach James Brown loses dual-threat quarterback Charles Taylor, who was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in June’s MLB draft. Timberview will rely on a defense that returns highly recruited defensive backs Trevor Walker and Edward Parris. The biggest key will be who steps up in the trenches. The Wolves only return one starter on the offensive and defensive lines combined. Expect Brown’s staff to evaluate lots of linemen in the preseason and nondistrict games.

Quotable: “I believe wholeheartedly in the things we’re doing. There are a few holes we have to look at in filling. We’ve got to fill some voids up front; we lost a lot of good offensive linemen and wide receivers, and of course, Chuck being gone. We had a good run in the spring and installed the things that we wanted to install. We have a good idea with what we had and what type of team we are going to have. We feel good about where we are.” — coach James Brown

Notable: Avery Gilbert, who is projected to be the starting quarterback, was a defensive starter last year.

— Josh Bowe

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