McALLEN — With All-Valley MVP Trevor Speights and 12 other starters returning, McAllen Memorial has the talent. But what the players believe will set this team apart, and hopefully give it a shot to make a deep run in the playoffs, is chemistry.
“Last year’s graduating class was mostly about them,” Speights, a junior, said. “This year’s class, the senior class, they’re leaders. All of us, we’re always together. We’re coming together as a family, and we’re going to show it this year.”
Memorial had talent last year, but it only amounted to a 6-5 finish and a first-round exit from the playoffs.
This group is different. This year, the Mustangs believe they can be the best team in school history.
“We had a lot of controversy last year,” linebacker Lucas Rios said. “We didn’t really play as a team last year. The team camaraderie wasn’t together. This year, we have fixed that. We’re going to be one unit again.”
Coach Bill Littleton preaches that being a great team requires three things: staying healthy, staying eligible, and having chemistry. Littleton is entering his 15th year as a head coach, and he said leadership and togetherness have always separated his best teams from the rest.
Although he offered the caveat that every senior class feels it’s closer than the group before, he said the chemistry of this year’s team is stronger than in 2013.
“This bunch has always been close,” Littleton said. “Sometimes you get a little clique here and a little clique there, but it seems to be like one big clique with this bunch.”
The players say they spend a lot of time together off the field, whether relaxing, studying, eating or working on their game.
That wasn’t the case a year ago.
“They had their little cliques here and there,” tackle Edward Pequeno said of last year’s team. “Not so much as one whole unit. There were cliques, and there were also the individuals, where, ‘It’s all about me. I’ve got to get here. I’ve got to get there.’”
Memorial may be more of a team this year, but Speights is still the obvious standout. As a sophomore last season, he ran for 2,267 yards and 25 touchdowns.
After a busy summer that included camps at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Rice and Texas State, plus training with ex-Texas running back D.J. Monroe, Speights looks as strong as ever in practice.
“He’s just the same old Trevor,” Littleton said. “He looks good. He’s a little bigger, a little stronger, a little faster. Good work ethic. Same old Trevor we’ve seen the last couple years. And that’s what we want to see.”
Speights’ biggest focuses during the offseason were adding size and improving his speed. He’s bulked up by 10 pounds, up to around 190. He’s also run a 40-yard dash as fast as 4.38 seconds.
“I want to become an all-around back, and all of those camps help towards that,” Speights said. “I’ve definitely gotten bigger, faster, stronger. The running back IQ, I’ve just been more about my position every year. I do whatever I can to become better.”
OFFSEASON INJURY
Returning second-team all-district 31-5A receiver DJ Johnson will be out until approximately the start of district play after suffering a broken foot during a basketball game in early June.
Johnson has been able to avoid surgery, but Littleton said the break is one that will take time to heal. Johnson is cleared to walk on the foot again, and he’s not far from jogging and interval running.
“He went to the doctor last week, and they told him he was progressing well,” Littleton said.
Johnson was Memorial’s leading receiver last year, catching 15 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns.
QUARTERBACK BATTLE
The magnetic depth chart on the wall of Littleton’s office has a clear starter at every position save one: quarterback.
Returning starter Jonathan Sanchez and Fabian Pedraza are competing for the spot. If game one were this week, Littleton said he would flip a coin to see who starts.
“We plan on using both of them in every ball game,” Littleton said.
Pedraza is the better passer, and Sanchez is the stronger runner and more experienced option. Littleton said both will be used at wideout when not under center.
DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
Memorial is facing some turnover on defense with only five starters back, but Littleton said the group is “probably ahead” of last year’s.
The secondary returns three starters, and Lucas Rios is back to lead the linebackers after racking up 154 tackles last year.
The Mustangs have four new starters on the defensive line, but Littleton says “they’ve filled in really well and are looking good right now.”
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Prognosis
Reigning All-Valley MVP Trevor Speights is the biggest piece of a high-octane offense that will have Memorial in contention for a district title.
2014 record: 11-2
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Tenure
Coach: Bill LIttleton
Year at school: 12th
Record at school: 69-54