BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — La Joya Juarez-Lincoln coach Tommy Garcia estimates that senior Robert Gonzalez will play about 90 percent of the team’s snaps this season.
In part, the decision is a result of talent. Gonzalez is one of the team’s fastest players and was part of a 400-meter relay team that was the Valley’s best last track season.
After two strong years earned him the title of captain of the Huskies’ secondary, he’s being shifted to running back to try to help a sputtering offense.
“He’s one of our best players, if not our best player,” Garcia said.
But Gonalez’s move is also born out of necessity. Coming out in full pads for the first time on Friday, the Huskies ran a joint varsity and JV practice and still mustered just 56 players. Overcoming that numbers disadvantage is going to be the biggest challenge for Juarez-Lincoln, which enters 2015 looking to rebound from last year’s 0-10 season.
“We’re going to put the best 11 guys on the field,” Garcia said, “and the only way we’re going to win ball games is if Robert plays both ways.”
Although the UIL lists Juarez-Lincoln’s enrollment as District 30-6A’s largest with 2,614.5 students, Garcia said getting kids out for football has been a challenge. He tries with the soccer players, but “after they get hit, they don’t want to play,” he said. Roaming the halls and visiting lunch periods hasn’t been much help, either.
“They don’t understand that if you stick with it, eventually we’re going to go places,” Garcia said. “I know there are kids in the halls. My job is to go out there and get them.”
The Huskies are also missing players for a variety of other reasons. Garcia said a few players are working outside the Valley and won’t be back until school starts on Aug. 24. One of those is top wideout Carlos Serna, who is still in Houston.
Another starter could only practice for 45 minutes Friday before he had to leave for work. And then there are injuries, like defensive lineman Abram Aguilar, who will be out a few more weeks recovering from a torn ACL.
“It’s pretty tough not having that many players, but as coach said, we can only have the best 11 on the field,” quarterback Obed Fernandez said. “So we’re going to go with that.”
The Huskies are adjusting by implementing a quick whistle during workouts and changing the way they run defense. With only a handful of linebackers on the roster, Juarez-Lincoln is likely to switch to a 4-2 look up front. Of those six players, four will be sophomores.
But Juarez-Lincoln still has hope for a turnaround in 2015. The Huskies opened their first padded practice with a spirited Oklahoma drill, one Gonzalez said boosted the energy level for the rest of the day’s session.
What Juarez-Lincoln will lack in depth, Garcia hopes they can make up with that energy.
“The excitement was there,” Garcia said. “It’s like I told the coaches and the kids right now: We don’t have the numbers, but I have 30 solid kids I’ll put up against anybody.”
STRONG SPOT
With four starters back, the offensive line projects to be Juarez-Lincoln’s biggest strength in 2015. Because of that, the Huskies plan to run the ball more than they did last season, when they called mostly quick hitting passes to try to take pressure off the line.
“Our philosophy has always been that we’re going to take it to them, and I want that to transfer over to our offensive line,” Garcia said. “We’re going to dictate the pace of the game offensively, and it starts with the offensive line.”
SOPHOMORE STUD?
Garcia said he was excited about the potential of sophomore running back Adonis Barillas. Although Barillas enters the year as a backup, he has great speed to make up for his short stature.
“We’re expecting some huge things from him,” Garcia said. “He’s got great vision. I think he’ll be the surprise in our district as far as running back.”
SOUND SECONDARY
While the defensive line and linebackers remain in flux, the Huskies secondary is full of veterans. Gonzalez, Andrew Rodriguez and Luis Jasso highlight the group. Sophomore Elias Gutierrez is also expected to start.
“I feel like we’re a really strong unit,” Jasso said. “You can tell we’ve been working really, really hard since this summer.”
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PROGNOSIS
With so few players on the roster of a team that was already struggling, projecting many wins this season is difficult. Juarez-Lincoln has to hope the offensive line and secondary can carry the Huskies.
Projected 2015 Record: 1-9
TENURE
Coach: Tommy Garcia
Year at school: Fourth
Record: 9-21
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