The Wylie Bulldogs are hungry. Time to fill the bowl with Football Chow.

Coach Clay Martin’s team missed the playoffs in agonizing fashion last fall. The Bulldogs beat second-place Abilene Cooper but lost by one score both to surprise District 2-5A champion Palo Duro and third-place Lubbock-Cooper.

Wylie finished 3-3 in league play, tied with Lubbock-Cooper and Wichita Falls Memorial, which solidly beat the Bulldogs at Sandifer Stadium. Those two losses cost Wylie the post season.

The difference between first place and fifth place was not much.

The Bulldogs made a statement of sorts in their finale. At 4-5 and with little chance to make the playoffs, Wylie put out the pride and sent Plainview back to Class 4A with a 70-52 people-pleasing win at Sandifer.

That means Wylie is the only district team starting the 2026 season on a winning streak. For the second year, the Bulldogs are host to longtime rival Brownwood. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Wylie lassoed the Lions 25-0 in the 2025 opener.

“Obviously, we have goals that we set but I don’t think there’s any question that we feel like we’re going to be better,” Martin said. “We feel good about where we are.”

There are question marks - a running game not involving Julius Laine for the first time in four years; a new placekicker after Noah Rehburg was so dependable for two years; and a secondary, which was porous at times last year. The Bulldogs gave up 317 points, or almost 32 a game, after surrendering just 208 (20.8) in their first 10 games in 2024.

However, a strong junior class made an impact and are seniors now. And that terrific freshmen group now are sophomores and ready for varsity action. Three already have seen varsity time.

“In my 34 years here, there has been only a handful of freshmen who have played on the varsity,” Martin said. And five seniors this year started as sophomores.

“We have been pretty young. Yes, we will be experienced but we’ll also have some young guys playing,” he said.

Nott making the playoffs burns. Wylie wants to play football when it gets cold, a far-off thought when it’s supposed to be near 100 degrees for kickoff Friday.

It was a balmy 75 degrees on Nov. 7, when the Bulldogs ended their season last year.

EARLY LOOK
Wylie did not work out in the spring, thus had two scrimmages this year.

The Bulldogs traveled to Frenship Memorial, which opened its doors only last fall. Martin went back 25 years - he is coaching for the 34th year this fall - for a controlled-type scrimmage against the Panthers, who will compete in Class 5A Division 1.

“I thought that was a great start for us,” Martin said of his team’s first go at an opponent not wearing purple and gold.

The Bulldogs’ last tuneup was against Abilene High, and Wylie more than held its own.

“I thought we were better prepared” for the Eagles after already being on the field, Martin said. “I was pleased at how we executed during the controlled part of the scrimmage,” Martin said. “I felt like we played fast and physical.”

The Bulldogs had two turnovers during their live quarter “but overall, I was very pleased,” Martin said.

The workout over the first two possessions was marked by big pass plays by both sides, but WHS had three and the Eagles two. Wylie was aggressive on defense while returning quarterback Jadin Karleskint looked like he had a year under belt.

All that baking in the evening sun on a 107-degree day.

LOOKING AT THE OPPONENTS
Wylie likely will be improved overall this season, but the schedule is daunting.

The Bulldogs face Class 5A Division 1 Monterey again in Lubbock. Monterey took a 24-21 win last year, a game many thought Wylie let slip away.

Stephenville, which thrashed Wylie 52-13 on its way to a 16-0 season and Class 4A Division I state championship, travels to south Abilene for Wylie’s homecoming game.

Before that is a trip to Wolfforth to take on Class 6A Frenship. The Tigers were just 4-7 but made the playoffs.

Frenship plays Lubbock-Cooper in their season-opener, so Bulldogs fans will get a peek at how two future opponents showed up.

Wylie has to return to Amarillo to face the Dons, who are favored to take another district title with quarterback Julian Reese II back. It was Reese’s 49-yard kickoff return after Wylie had tied the game with under 2 minutes to play that set up the Dons’ winning touchdown last year.

The Bulldogs get Memorial at home. Memorial’s 45-14 win over WHS at Sandifer last year perhaps was the most disheartening of the season.

Wylie takes on Southtown rival Cooper at Shotwell Stadium. If the Memorial game caused heartburn, Wylie’s showing against a good Cougars team, a gutsy 29-22 win at Sandifer, was a big win. Wylie owns a four-game winning streak against Cooper.

The Bulldogs recently scrimmaged Abilene High at Shotwell, giving varsity newcomers a sense of that stadium. In recent years, Wylie fans have equaled or outdrawn Cougars boosters.

Wylie’s other two games are on the road. The Bulldogs make a third trip to the Lubbock area to face 6A Coronado, a team Wylie pounded 70-14 at home in 2025. The other game is in Wichita Falls against Legacy, which gave Wylie a spirited game in a 45-24 loss. WHS broke open that game in the fourth quarter.

“I believe there will be a lot of parity in our district from top to bottom,” Martin said. “Palo Duro is favored because they return a lot of players from a very talented team last year. I think this season, week in and week out, you’re going to have to play your best to win.”

THE WYLIE OFFENSE
A year ago, the Bulldogs were breaking in a bevy of new players and hoping Laine would carry the team.

This year, experience is on Wylie’s side even with some newcomers expected to make an impact. Injuries forced the Bulldogs into lineup changes that were tough then but perhaps will pay off this year.

“We have a lot more experience than we’ve had in the past,” Martin said. “We have eight returning starters … and, really, two or three other kids who played a lot. I feel like we’re quite a bit ahead of where we’ve been.”

Although the passing game looked good against Abilene High and improved throughout 2025, Martin believes the Bulldogs can be balanced.

Still, “any time you return your entire receiving corps plus your quarterback, there’s going to be some chemistry there,” he said.

Karleskint had a quietly effective junior season but Martin said the difference between the end of the season and August 2026 is “night and day. Jadin is a student of the game and really improved throughout last year. The game has slowed down for him now.

“He has improved from the end of last year to now, and I think he will continue to do so.”

Karleskint didn’t throw a touchdown pass until Game 3 and finished with 15. He developed a connection with fellow junior Blaze Ruffin. Karleskint completed 70 percent of his passes for more than 1,500 yards and threw just three interceptions.

He added a couple of hundred rushing yards, most often wisely choosing to tuck it rather than make a bad throw.

Behind him is one of those super sophs, Myles McCarty. Fans oohed and aahed on a long touchdown pass to K.J. Villegas, who made a hands catch in stride.

“I think Myles will see some playing time on both sides of the ball,” Martin said. “Unbelievably talented kid.”

Opponents surely will be keying on Ruffin, who caught nine balls for touchdowns, including an 80-yard bomb. He was over 100 yards in several games and totaled almost 800 yards receiving.

Wylie, however, doesn’t need Karleskint-to-Ruffin every play to win.

“You’re going to have to defend us all over the field,” Martin said. ”Blaze had a really, really great year” but there’s dependable Dylan Regala, also a senior who caught 40 passes, and emerging threat Jackston Williams, who totaled just three catches but was elevated to the varsity as a freshman because, Martin said, “he has exceptional ball skills.”

Junior Jayden Naemi is another target as will senior Maylon Green-Rhodes, who will spell Regala in the slot. Regala will be a key player this season in the secondary after shoring it up a year ago.

Brody Anderson, a senior, is yet another weapon. And there is Villegas, who will be in the secondary but can’t be overlooked as a receiver.

“He has really come on,” Martin said.

Wylie is loaded.

In the backfield will be Cooper Jones, a senior, and sophomore Jett Wilson. Jones was a strong backup to Laine and had a 128-yard game against Coronado. Wilson, as a freshman, ran a leg on Wylie’s record-setting 800 relay.

“(Jones) is a really tough runner who plays the game exceptionally hard,” Martin said.

Wilson has “lots of speed and is extremely explosive,” Martin said.

Landry Pate is one of the stars of the defense but his athleticism, Martin said, allows him to join the backfield. He carried the ball just twice in 2025.

In fact, between the three backs, the varsity carries total 50.

Running and receiving work much better when the offensive line is good.

Last year’s line was anchored by veteran center Barrett Huffington. When he missed games mid-season with an injury, Wylie’s offense took steps backward.

He has graduated but the patchwork line needed last fall gives Martin’s team depth and experience.

The new center is Mac Bresheen, who filled in last year. Returnees are Sutton Stephenson and Jaxon Wristen, who bring senior leadership and experience. Daniel Haynes was a starter at times as a freshman, an unusual opportunity at the 5A level.

Martin’s line will be fluid.

He is set at center but Stephenson will be at both left guard and right tackle. Wristen also will be at left tackle and Haynes right guard.

Blake Pinnock, a junior, will be at right tackle. In that case, Stephenson will move to left guard. Dean Harrison, another junior, also will be at right guard.

Junior Logan Catchpole plays in a full-time role at guard, depending on personnel.

“It depends on how much Haynes is playing on defense,” Martin said.

If Haynes comes out on offense, Martin said, he will be a right guard, Stephenson at right tackle, Bresheen at center, Catchpole at left guard and Wristen at left tackle.

If Haynes is out, it will be either Pinnock at right tackle and Stephenson at guard or Harrison at right guard and Stephenson staying at tackle, Martin said.

More than enough movement to throw off opposing coaches … and those in the press box.

“It’s kind of a merry-go-round,” Martin said. “The pressure is put on Sutton because he has to learn two positions.

“It would be way better if Haynes didn’t have to play defense but he’s a dynamic defensive player.”

It’s good to have the players to move around, he added.

Put together, the Bulldogs will be about playing at tempo. The tentativeness of last year should be replaced by a smoother-running group.

“But when you commit to playing that way, execution is the key,” he said.

THE WYLIE DEFENSE
At times, the Bulldogs were bulldogs on defense last year. But there were letdowns. As with the offense sputtering at times, the combination led to a 5-5 season.

Wylie shined at linebacker and all four players are back - Pate, Bo Kates, Cooper Hill and Blake Frailing. All are seniors, with Kates touted as the top defensive player in the district by Texas Football magazine.

Frailing will be on the line this year with safety Carter Nelson taking his place at linebacker.

Martin likes his combination of experience and the ability to go to the football. Few Abilene High runners had lanes to work with.

“That has to be a trademark of our defense. We are going to fly to the football,” Martin said. “It’s something we’ve been talking about since the end of last year.”

The line may be the deepest area of the team, he said.

Joining Frailing and Haynes on the line is Nicholas Gjerpe, a senior who started last year. There are seniors Aaron Edwards and Jake Smart, along with Ben Vail, who has been “extremely dynamic at nose(tackle),” Martin said.

“A lot of depth in those three spots, for sure.”

Adding Regala to the secondary last year helped, and he’s back. His offensive skills give him the mindset that the football is his. He will be at safety.

Senior Brody Martin is back from an injury. His sub, Brady Johnson, a junior, is back.

Griggs Holland, a cornerback in 2025, has been moved to safety.

Sophomores McCarty and Wilson got playing time there during the scrimmages.

“I feel like we have some depth at that position,” Martin said.

Villegas is at corner along with sophomore Kannon Ruffin.

“Liam Chapman has really emerged has had a great offseason,” Martin said.

NEW KICKING GUY
Kannon Ruffin also is the placekicker.

“I think he’ll step in where Noah left off,” Martin said.

Rehburg was accurate under pressure. He booted a game-winning field goal as a junior in Wichita Falls to beat Memorial.

Last year, he was 8-of-8 on PATs against Coronado with a field goal, then finished his career going 10-of-10 on PATs vs. Plainview.

“We won’t know that until the game gets going,” Martin said of Ruffin. “But I do know this much. He can kick it six yards out of the back of the end zone on a kickoff, so that’s going to be helpful. He has a big leg.”

TALENT YES, TEAM...YES
Mastering the X’s and O’s is vitally important. But there’s more to football than that, Martin said.

“All that is really important and we spend a ton of time working on that but if we don’t build a team that believes in each other, the rest of that doesn’t matter,” he said.

“I think this is a really good group with a lot of leadership.”

It’s natural to talk about the playoffs before the first snap but Martin said the focus right now is playing Brownwood.

“And then get better as we go,” he said. “Our schedule is exceptional.”

Final 2025 District 2-5A standings

Team District Season
W L PF PA W L PF PA
Am. Palo Duro 6 0 281 141 9 1 399 172
Ab. Cooper 4 2 267 191 6 4 423 290
Lub-Cooper 3 3 211 242 6 4 368 361
WF Memorial 3 3 232 195 7 3 408 283
Wylie 3 3 228 227 5 5 357 317
WF Legacy 1 5 164 300 2 8 209 463
Plainview 1 5 221 308 3 7 369 475

Bi-district playoffs
El Paso Andress 28, WF Memorial 14
Lubbock-Cooper 45, Del Valle 42
Palo Duro 56, EP Hanks 7
Abilene Cooper 42, EP Chapin 36

Area
Walnut Grove 55, Lubbock-Cooper 13
Anna 38, Palo Duro 35
Argyle 77, Abilene Cooper 35