BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
MERCEDES — Taking a look at his projected roster at the end of a 7-5 2016 campaign, fourth-year Mercedes coach Roger Adame Jr. quickly realized the 2017 season could be a special one.
“We’re really excited about this team,” Adame said. “We’ve seen them grow up through the youth leagues, through junior high, and they’ve always had success. They’ve got a lot of game experience. A lot of them have been three-year starters. It allows us to do a little bit more.”
Adame projects 16 (eight on offense, eight on defense) of his 22 Tigers starters will come from a tight-knit group of seniors.
“We’ve had times where one of those seniors wanted to continue lifting weights at 7:30 at night,” Adame said. “We told them, ‘Hey, we got to go,’ but they’re all together. If one does it, they all do it. That’s the kind of team you want.”
Middle linebacker Bryan Smith matured a great deal from 2015 to 2016. The rising senior went from 35 tackles in five varsity games as a sophomore to ranking second on the team in sacks (5.0) and third in tackles for a loss (17.0) last year.
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound force in the middle of Mercedes’ defense found a way to blend into anonymity playing alongside Roger Adame III, The Monitor’s 2016 All-Area Defensive Player of the Year. Smith won’t likely have that chance in 2017, even if he wanted to.
“Not having the attention doesn’t really bother me,” Smith said. “I play the game because I love it.”
Smith also led his team in tackles last season (152), but he’s got part of his focus set on loftier goals.
“I still need to work on the fundamentals and on my mistakes from last year,” Smith said. “I know this year is going to be my last, so I had to go all out. My work ethic is completely different from last year to this year. I’ve really pushed myself more, especially in practice. Last year, there would be some slacking off here and there. I think my work ethic here in practice will carry on, so I can have that stamina during the games.
“I led the team in tackles, but I could have done better. This year, I plan on getting more tackles and still plan on not only leading my team in tackles, but the district and even the entire Valley.”
Senior captain Marc Ledesma was named starting quarterback after spending time between the quarterback and wide receiver positions in 2016. Ledesma threw six touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
“Knowing I’d have more duty as a quarterback, I worked on my skills and my pocket presence over the summer,” Ledesma said. “I worked to be more accurate and make better decisions. If it’s not there, I’ll tuck it and run or just throw it away.”
Ledesma echoes Adame Jr.’s sentiments about just how strong these seniors are as one.
“Most of our group has been stuck together since the seventh grade,” Ledesma said. “We have a good bond between each other. We started calling ourselves, ‘The It Group.’ We believe we’re a good group if we can stick together and stay healthy. We’re a hardworking group of athletes.”
A MARATHON SUMMER
Senior outside linebacker/defensive end Adame III spent most of his summer in a car or in a workout facility. Adame III crisscrossed the state to five different football camps at UTSA, Incarnate Word, Texas State, Sam Houston State and Texas A&M-Kingsville to display his talents in front of college coaches from around the state.
“Just getting some exposure out there is a great experience,” Adame III, who recorded 21.0 sacks in 2016, said. “Those camps really helped me see what it takes to get to the next level. I’m hoping for a big senior year, and we’re going to take it one game at a time.”
The 5-foot-11 Adame III has had some conversations with some schools about a potential role at the next level that would be drastically different from what he does for the Tigers currently. Some coaches would like Adame III to fit in a cover and blitzing cornerback role.
“Kingsville basically offered me already,” Adame III said. “I talked to Coach (Daren) Wilkinson there, and he said I can play there right now if I was able to. At the Texas State camp, they told me I could walk on but see playing time early and earn a full-ride scholarship. … Sam Houston State likes me a lot. I talked to Coach (Justin) Roberts and he said, ‘Have a big senior year, and we’ll see.’ I didn’t get to make it to Stephen F. Austin, but they’re interested in me, also.”
The Adames took a brief break from football and went on a weeklong California vacation with the family in mid-July. The family was enjoying dinner at Los Angeles’ Staples Center and happened to run into a star.
“All of a sudden, we saw him. It was Dak Prescott,” Adame III said. “There was no security around him, so we took a quick picture with him real quick. Dak’s a big guy. He’s a 6-2, 6-3, two-something.
“It showed me just what NFL players have to go up against, and just how big quarterbacks are at the pro level. It made me want to work harder just to get to the college level and someday live that lifestyle that they’re living.”
NON-DISTRICT SCHEDULING
Adame Jr. clinched at least a share of the district title twice in his first three seasons at Mercedes, losing only two district games during that span. But Adame Jr. refuses to ease his team into the district slate. The Tigers will once again open the season against Phil Danaher, the winningest coach in Texas high school football history, and Calallen in Corpus Christi on Sept. 1.
“I don’t think tough scheduling will hurt us as a team. I think it’ll do the opposite,” Adame Jr. said. “It might hurt us in any media rankings, but our team knows we have great expectations, and I won’t sell these kids short. I’m going to put them up against competition that’s going to get them better and playing at the level I want them to play at. When you’re going against a state finalist like Calallen, you’re going to find out real quick where your team is at.”
Adame Jr. says his players relish the opportunity to play a program like Calallen.
“These guys are chomping at the bit to play them,” Adame Jr. said. “They got a great program out there. If you want to be the best, you have to play the best.”
MERCEDES’ PROGNOSIS
Propelled by tons of senior experience at key positions, the Tigers will once again challenge for the top spot in District 32-5A.
2016 record: 7-5
Returning starters O/D: 7/6
COACH’S TENURE
Coach: Roger Adame Jr.
Year at school: 4th
Record at school: 23-11