Reload Not Rebuild: Klein Cain Has Program Built For Transition

Klein Cain is at a crossroads.

The football team has set the bar high going into its fifth year of varsity ball under the direction of coach James Clancy.

The Hurricanes are 17-6 overall and 10-2 in district play over the past two seasons.

Trust in Coach Clancy.

“It is very tough to replace the caliber of kids who have graduated,” he said. “We have to take pride in the system and the culture of the program we have built. We are still in the toddler state of this thing and are just learning to walk. The next five years will be critical and important for us.

“We have established the expectations. Now, we seek to execute and continue to raise the bar. We are still chasing goals… expectations never graduate. The jerseys may change, but the system will continue to improve. The next step for us is not to rebuild but to reload.”

Clancy this offseason was named one of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine’s 40 under 40 coaches to watch.

The Hurricanes must replace the District Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in Matthew Golden and Lukia Rawls, who were cornerstones of the budding program.

The baton will be passed to quarterback Lance Awe, receiver Jaelen Smith and linemen Gibson Pyle and Joseph Foxworth. Smith and Pyle were all-district first teamers and Foxworth earned a second-team nod. Grayson Dunbar will be a trusted safety valve for Awe as an all-district tight end.

“Lance is the definition of a program kid and has worked up the ranks,” he said, who was named by Dave Campbell’s Texas football as one of the Top 40 Coaches Under 40. “He will have the opportunity to lead the offense. Jaelen became a force to be reckoned with in the later part of season. Now it’s his turn to be the man. Having Pyle and Foxworth back gives us experience in the trenches, where you want it.”

The defensive side of the ball will be solid in the back end. Patrick Batiste and Davin Martin are all-district returners, while Isaiah Byrd and Eric Solomon III round out the secondary unit with experience. Tyler Edwards will anchor the defensive line.

“We will have plenty of opportunities for new guys to step up,” he said. “It’s the next man up and that is what our kids have to understand now.”