UIL state championship football center: Best storylines and top players to watch
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we’re not talking about Christmas.
The UIL football state championships are back and all 12 games are in one week at AT&T Stadium, running Wednesday through Saturday. The championship games were split up during the 2020 season with Class 1A-4A in December and 5A-6A in January.
A journey that started in March with spring football and August with Week 1 of the regular season, and here we are 17 weeks later on the biggest stage at Jerry’s World.
Twenty-four teams will step on to the field and 12 will be crowned UIL champion.
We get you set for a wild week of the best football in the country. Take a look at top storylines, including state championship rematches, one coach’s ride into the sunset and top players to watch.
Top stories
Duncanville-North Shore Part 3: The Panthers and Mustangs meet for the Class 6A Division 1 title for the third time in four seasons during the 3 p.m. game on Saturday. A win by Duncanville will give legendary head coach Reginald Samples a long-awaited title, something he should’ve had during the 2018 season. In one of the best championship games all-time, North Shore won as time expired on a 44-yard Hail Mary for the win. The two teams met again in 2019 with North Shore winning 31-17.
Todd Dodge’s final blaze of glory: Dodge, the head coach of Austin Westlake said earlier this year that this was his final season. He has the Chaparrals at UIL state for the third straight season. Dodge and the Chaps won the 6A D2 title in 2019, 6A D1 in 2020 and return to the 6A D2 final to take on Denton Guyer in the last game of the season at 7 p.m. on Saturday. In last season’s championship, Dodge defeated his son, Riley, and Southlake Carroll, the very school Todd built a dynasty in the early 2000s.
The city of Dallas is behind South Oak Cliff: Dallas ISD hasn’t won a state title in football in 63 years. Dallas Carter won in the late 80s, but its championship was taken away for ineligible players. Out of 22 DISD schools, South Oak Cliff is still playing and the Golden Bears are having their best season. They take on Liberty Hill in the 5A D2 game at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Denton Guyer-Austin Westlake rematch: Two years later since Westlake’s rout over Guyer, the Chaps and Wildcats meet again in the 6A D2 championship to close out the 2021 season. Star quarterback Eli Stowers suffered a game-ending injury early in the first quarter and then-freshman Jackson Arnold was thrown into the fire. Arnold is now a junior and has Guyer on the doorstep to its first title since 2013.
State attendance record going down? There is huge potential here especially on Saturday with at least one team from the Dallas-area in all three games, South Oak Cliff, Duncanville and Guyer. Only twice has a single game gone over 50,000 and that featured Allen both times in 2013 and 2014. The record is 54,327 during Allen and Pearland in 2013. During the 2014 season at AT&T Stadium, the total attendance was over 250,000, but not every state title game was there. In 2018 with all 12 games at AT&T, over 228,000 was in attendance.
Returning to state: Of last season’s 12 champions, only Shiner and Westlake return. Three state runner-up teams are also back looking to right the wrong from 2020, May, Franklin and Gilmer. Gunter (3A D2) returns for the fourth time in six seasons, looking to win a third title in that stretch. Teams that are ending droughts to the state final, Westbrook (first time), Hawley (first time), Austin LBJ (first time), Katy Paetow (first time), SOC (first time), Stephenville (2012), Falls City (2013), Stratford (2008), Lorena (1989) and China Spring (2007).
Top players
Cade Klubnik, QB, Austin Westlake: The 5-star Clemson commit is looking to secure the program’s third consecutive state championship and second 6A D2 trophy in that span. He’s rated as the No. 1 quarterback in his class according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
Reid Watkins, DB, Brock: The Eagles are loaded on the defensive side, but Watkins is the unquestionable leader who can fly to the ball in a hurry. He is among the area leaders in interceptions, leads the team, and picked up a 30-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Mount Vernon.
Jackson Arnold, QB, Denton Guyer: Two years after going into the state championship game as a freshman, Arnold has led the Wildcats back to the title game. He’s leading on offensive unit that’s averaging nearly 40 points per game.
Malachi Medlock, RB, Duncanville: The 6-1, 215 pound back is as tough as nails and hard to bring down. What makes him even more dangerous is his ability to catch the ball down the field.
Denver Harris, DB, Galena Park North Shore: Harris is a 5-star prospect and ranked as the third-best cornerback in the state. He also ranks as the No. 17 player in the nation. Texas A&M is leading the way to land Harris with Texas on on his trail as well.
Marquise Collins, RB, College Station: It would be hard to find a better running back during this playoff stretch than this College Station junior. Collins has hit 200 yards rushing six times in 15 games with four straight. During the last four games, he’s averaging 250 yards on the ground and has scored 16 touchdowns. This includes 232 yards and three touchdowns against Mansfield Summit.
Dalton Brooks, WR, Shiner: As a 4-star prospect, Brooks is rated the fifth-best athlete in the state. He’s helped Shiner reach the state title game again after the Comanches won last season. Brooks stars on both sides of the ball and was voted Offensive MVP of the 2A D1 game in 2020.
Coy Eakin, WR, Stephenville: The state’s best receiver is up to 1,953 yards and 28 touchdowns for the Yellowjackets. Eakin also returns kicks and has scored at least once in every game. He’s averaging 23.3 yards per catch, has 84 receptions and has caught at least one touchdown in all but one game this season.
Doug Brooks, DT, Shiner: Dalton’s older brother is a menace that’s going to be a handful for Hawley this week. Like Dalton, Doug Brooks stars on both sides and rushed for two touchdowns during the state semifinals.
Kevin Henry-Jennings, QB Dallas South Oak Cliff: The SMU commit is helping the Golden Bears to their best season. He’s accounted for 3,000 yards passing and 40 touchdowns.
Omari Abor, DL, Duncanville: The 4-star edge rusher brought the heat against Southlake Carroll with a strip and fumble return for a touchdown on the game’s first possession. Abor is a load standing 6-4 and 240 pounds. Ohio State is the front runner-up to grab him, but Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU and Texas are right behind.
