Ready to see the new Tigers?
Well, you won’t have to wait long. They will be on the field at Community National Bank & Trust Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday playing Van in the first of two preseason scrimmages. The Tigers are on the road next week playing at 6A Tyler Legacy on a Thursday in their second scrimmage before opening the season at home against Cleburne on Aug. 30.
It would be easier to list what’s not new for the Tigers instead of what’s new this season. Changes are just about everywhere under new Coach Eugene Rogers, who faces a huge task in taking over a program that hasn’t won a district game in the past two seasons and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2019.
Despite the drought, Rogers is here to not only revive the Tigers but to make them a formidable team, a team that is consistently in the playoffs in a program that can win district titles and succeed in the postseason.
That was a way of life when Rogers played quarterback for legendary Tiger Coach Don Denbow in the 1980s when Rogers led the team to the 1982 state championship game.
Pick your cliched metaphor — It’s a long rode back, its a high mountain to climb, it’s us against the world — but none of that has fazed Rogers.
He was a brilliant quarterback who could see the whole field on every play and can now see a bright future for a program that hasn’t won a playoff game since Coach Steve Hoffman left in 2018.
Rogers has had his Tigers for one week of summer practice and looks forward to Friday night’s scrimmage. Rogers liked what he saw in the first week.
“The first week of practice went well,” he said. “I’m pleased with our work ethic and our retention from the spring.”
The Tigers return a six starters on defense, including two of the best athletes at the school in Mark Brown and Ja’Marion Lewis, who have both started for three seasons for the Tigers.
Lewis emerged as the Tiger quarterback as a freshman and has been a brilliant defensive back since. He led the Tigers in interceptions last season and returns as one of the safeties for a defense that should improve dramatically this in 2024. Lewis is also a talented athlete who could play on offense as a receiver or fill in at quarterback if needed.
Brown was one of the Tigers’ top defenders as a freshman and he also is a safety this season. And like Lewis, Brown is one of the top overall athletes in the program and can play receiver or running back. Brown, a big-hit defender with speed, and Lewis, a fast and savvy defensive back, will be two of the Tiger leaders for a young and growing team that needs leaders at every position.
Van is coming off an 8-4 record in Class 4A DI a year ago when the Vandals advanced to the Area round of the playoffs. The Vandals are a family affair of talent with Coach Jared Moffatt, quarterback Jaxon Moffatt, who threw for 1,887 yards and 15 touchdowns last season and rushed for 659 yards and nine touchdowns, and Austin Moffatt, who played running back and receiver. Austin rushed for 910 yards and four touchdowns and added 326 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver.
Every coach in Texas will tell you scrimmages are not games, but more of an elevated practice, but they’re invaluable this time of year as coaches and teams take the first competitive steps toward the season — and even more valuable to program’s like at Corsicana, where everything is new and different with a brand new coach looking for a brand new beginning.
Rogers can’t wait to his his players Friday in their first scrimmage.
“I’m looking forward to seeing our team compete without scheming,” he said, pointing to the advantage of seeing his players face a competitor instead of routine practice play.
After the two scrimmages the Tigers will open their season at home at Community National Bank & Trust Stadium at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 against Cleburne,
Here’s the Tiger regular season schedule:
All games begin at 7 p.m.
*All District Games
Aug. 30: Home vs. Cleburne
Sept. 5: Thursday at Waco High
Sept. 13: Home vs. Hallsville
District 6-5A DII Schedule
Sept. 20: District Opener at Terrell *
Sept. 27: Home vs. Crandall*
Oct. 4: Open Week
Oct. 11: At Mesquite Poteet*
Oct. 18: At Greenville*
Oct. 25: Home vs. Kaufman*
Nov. 1: At Midlothian Heritage *
Nov. 7: Thursday Home vs. Ennis*
Nov. 14: Opening Game of the playoffs
