Mount Vernon Football Coach Art Briles is back for his second season and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine picks the Tigers to finish 4th in their 8 team District 5-3A in Division I. The magazine believes Pottsboro, preseason ranked #3 in Class 3A, will win district followed by Mount Vernon rival Winnsboro, then Mineola, and the Tigers. Next they have Emory Rains in 5th, Coach John McSheffery’s Commerce in 6th, Howe in 7th and Bonham in 8th. Mount Vernon was 8-3 last season making it to bi-district. Coach Briles has 24 returning lettermen at Mount Vernon with 8 returning starters on offense and 4 on defense. According to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, Tigers’ players to watch include running back Clifton Holloman, Jr., quarterback Brock Nellor, wide receiver Caydon Coffman, defensive back Adrian Robles and offensive lineman Quinton Johnson. Top Tigers’ juniors include wide receiver Nick Lacy and linebacker Keaton Decker. A top sophomore is wide receiver Jaden Horton. Other Tiger prospects are cornerback Blaine Crouse, wide receiver Raif Ramsey, linebacker Cross DiMaggio, linebacker MacKenzie McGill, offensive lineman Caden Rogers, defensive lineman Austin Reed and offensive lineman Alan Quinones. Texas Football says year one of the Briles’ era must be considered a success with 8 wins and a playoff spot and they say year two has the potential to be special. Mount Vernon returns nearly all of the team’s skill players giving them plenty of firepower on offense. A couple of top tacklers also return to lead the defense.
