DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
HIDALGO — The change is subtle for Hidalgo football these days, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful.
On the field, the Pirates still have more downs than ups. Hidalgo is 2-4 heading into this week’s District 16-4A, DI, game at La Feria. That’s still one win better than all of last season. But that’s not the point.
The point is when you look up in the stands.
“The crowd is the difference,” senior defensive end Lee Roy Barrientos said. “Games are packed for us, and it hasn’t been that way in a few years. I think they see us players who are excited and they get excited. We’ve asked for their support, and they’ve come.”
During this first year under coach David Duty, the vision has been about more than the product on the field. It’s about getting the community and school to embrace football.
The Pirates still lack numbers, but that’s partly because of Duty’s ambition. Yes, the depth is not there, so Hidalgo tends to get worn out late during games, but that’s also because Duty has committed to having full freshman and junior varsity teams.
Duty boasts that his freshman and JV teams have not missed a game and are playing a full schedule. Ideally, more kids in the program means more parental support, which means more interest.
“What’s been great is the fan support,” Duty said. “We’ve had just as many people at the away games as the home games. People come up to me surprised, like, ‘Hey, Coach, we finally have a student section now!’ It’s been really good. The kids are buying in and the community is buying in.”
On the field, the Pirates are better, but nowhere near where they’d like to be. They have been more competitive and players like the direction of where things are headed.
Duty’s offense is the pistol, a read-option scheme that keeps defenses on their toes. The defense is the untraditional 4-3, which the Pirates played two years ago before moving to the 3-4 in 2014.
All of this makes sense to the players.
“I know we have something we can work with,” senior quarterback Peter Quiroz said “It’s not just with the wins, but in the losses we’re competitive. We’re close. It’s all something we can build on, and when you look long-term it will only benefit us.”
During practices, Duty and his staff are always moving and talking. They pick apart plays. They talk individually with kids. They are demanding without being insulting and relentlessly positive when it calls for it.
“He does a lot of coaching,” senior right tackle Jesus Ramos said. “He literally takes us play by play. We know exactly how stuff is supposed to be run. I think you see guys who are really committed. We’re tired of losing.”
The Pirates have lost by an average of 7.7 points, an improvement on last season’s 13.5 point differential. Last week’s game against Zapata was an example of Hidalgo’s progress. The Pirates lost by 14 to the district favorite, but had two touchdowns called back because of perceived questionable calls.
“He brings an offense and defense that benefits us,” Quiroz said. “It’s completely different. I feel like when you play something like the pistol, you’re telling teams you can either run or throw it. As players, that just gives us more confidence that other teams won’t know what’s coming.”
Duty said it’s all a process, whether it’s on or off the field. He talks glowingly about how Hidalgo’s baseball and basketball programs are encouraging their athletes to play football, and how that has already helped add more kids during a time of season when depth is essential. Barrientos talks about how the offensive and defensive lines meet before or after practices to discuss schemes.
“We gave coach our trust,” Barrientos said. “We believe in him because he gave us something to believe in. He talks to us, he motivates us. It’s the small things with him, but the small things work.”