DAVID BARBER

davidb@vanzandtnews.com

With the 2023 varsity football season coming to a close Nov. 17, Van Vandal Head Coach Jared Moffatt is already focused on preparations for the 2024 campaign.

The Vandals finished 8-4 overall in 2023 with a runner-up finish in District 8-4A, Division 2, behind defending Class 4-A state champion and the current #1 ranked team in the state, the Carthage Bulldogs.

Van also captured the Class 4A, Division 2, Bi-District Championship with a dominating victory over the Spring Hill Panthers, 63-34, Nov. 10 in Tyler.

The state playoff run for the Vandals ended at the hands of the Aubrey Chapparals, 35-14, in Royse City Nov. 17 in the Area Championship game.

“We did not play very well against Aubrey,” recalled Moffatt. “It was unfortunate. We knew coming into the game that their defensive front was really good. We did not play well up front and we had a hard time running the ball. We knew we were at our best this season when we ran the ball well. We just could not get the running game going which forced us into more passing situations than we wanted to be in.

“We could not sustain anything the entire game offensively,” continued Moffatt. “We had some penalties that were difficult to overcome. The pick-6 at the end of the first half was big. Even then, we were still in the game at halftime, but we fumbled on the first play of the second half. We got stopped on fourth down a couple of times. I hated to end the season with us not playing well in the game.

“Defensively, I thought we played well overall,” pointed out Moffatt. “We gave up a long touchdown run. They scored touchdowns on two short fields. I thought our defense played well enough to give us a chance but offensively, we did not make enough plays and we turned the ball over three times. It is hard to win a playoff game when you do that.”

The Vandal head coach spoke highly of the Aubrey defensive performance. “I thought Aubrey was really good on defense,” emphasized Moffatt. “I thought all of their defensive linemen were good. Their middle linebacker was a good player as well. I am not sure, so far as their defensive front was concerned, if we played any team better than them this season. They did a great job against us. Overall, defensively, I am not sure if they were better than Carthage was when we played against them. I thought that we would get our run game going against Aubrey, but we just weren’t able to do it.”

Moffatt looked back at the 2023 season overall and first discussed the accomplishments of his defensive unit.

“Our defensive performance was good this season because our guys played well together,” pointed out Moffatt. “They played with tremendous effort. Our defensive line, led by our four seniors, Colton Miller, Logan Fattig, Tuff Arozamena, and Reggie Johnson, played really well this season. They were the strength of our defense. Wyatt Dale, Foster Rust, and Luke Horton did a really good job for us. Gabriel Bachert had a great year at cornerback for us. He played every down and he produced. I was very proud and happy for him. Cannon Rainey at safety provided a lot of senior leadership for us.”

Moffatt expressed his appreciation to the Vandal senior class for their contributions to the program throughout their high school years.

“I have been around these guys a long time and I have watched them grow up,” said Moffatt, who finished his 14th season as Vandal head coach. “These guys were in kindergarten when I got here. This senior class did not win a lot of games when they were in junior high. Not a lot of people expected a lot from this class when they got to high school.

“This senior class showed what they can accomplish when they put the work in and invest in the time required to do that year after year,” continued Moffatt. “They worked themselves into and maximized their potential to become really good football players at Van. A lot of people don’t see that. They worked hard to be the best they could be individually and to be the best to make the team the best it could be. I am so proud of these seniors. They really enjoyed playing together. I just hated for them to see it come to an end against Aubrey.”

Moffatt discussed the work of the offensive line during the 2023 season that included center Justus Anderson, guards Ace Bostick and Trae Derrick, and tackles Jose Suarez and Cooper Hullum. Anderson and Hullum return to the Vandal lineup in 2024.

“Our offensive line played really well this season,” emphasized Moffatt. “That was the strength of our team this season. Ace Bostick was a three-year starter. Jose Suarez was a four-year starter. Trae Derrick did a great job as well. All of these guys worked hard and made themselves really good football players.”

Moffatt also brought up the fact that the Vandals were a perfect 56 out of 56 on extra points this season with three different kickers utilized in 2023.

Senior Garrett Phillips was the deep snapper and senior Gabriel Bachert was the holder during all of the extra point attempts.

“We were 100 percent on our extra point attempts this season and I know we have never done that before,” recalled Moffatt. “Garrett Phillips was our deep snapper for two years on extra points. He also served as our deep snapper on punts this season as well. He made a number of tackles on special teams on kickoffs.”

The Vandal head coach looked ahead to preparations for the 2024 season which will begin right after the players return to campus in January following their Christmas holiday break.

“Typically, we take the month of December to wrap up the current season,” said Moffatt. “The kids will lift a little bit, but we don’t really hit the true offseason program until we get back to school in January. When these guys start in January, they won’t stop preparing and working until the next football season ends. Preparing for the 2024 season starts in January.”

The offseason also means a potential change in districts as the University Interscholastic League (UIL) is scheduled to announce their bi-annual district realignment in February 2024.

“I really don’t have a lot of thoughts about that right now,” pointed out Moffatt. “There are a lot of people out there doing predictions about what the UIL might do and not do. Some people claim they have inside information on that. Sometimes, somebody might get close on that and other times, nobody gets close to what will actually happen.

“After 26 years in coaching, all I can tell you is that I have no idea what is going to happen,” emphasized Moffatt. “I can take some guesses but that is what they are, complete guesses. I don’t spend a whole lot of time researching it and trying to figure it out on my own because I am rarely right on that just like some of the people that are predicting it now.

“Two years ago is a great example of that,” recalled the Vandal head coach. “I never anticipated being in a district with Carthage and Center and nobody else saw that coming either. I have no idea what might happen. It looks like Athens will be dropping down from Division 1 to Division 2 in Class 4A. That could affect us. You just never know. Re-alignment day is always an event.”

Moffatt confirmed that he is already working on his preliminary non-district schedule for the next two seasons.

“We have Lindale scheduled for Week 3 and Sunnyvale for Week 4,” announced Moffatt. “They are really good football teams. I know that we will probably go into realignment day needing some non-district games to schedule. We picked up Paris and Chapel Hill on realignment day two years ago. Non-district scheduling has become more difficult to do.”

Despite a number of seniors graduating from the program, Moffatt is excited about the players returning for the 2024 season in addition to some sub-varsity players that could be ready to make an impact on the varsity team as well.

“We have a lot of kids coming back who have played a lot of football games for us,” pointed out Moffatt. “Hopefully, we will also be getting some kids back that missed a lot of playing time this season due to injuries. Landon Smith missed the entire season with an elbow injury and Asher Hawkins went out the second game of the season due to a knee injury so they will be back with us hopefully.

“I was really proud of the accomplishments of our sub-varsity teams this season,” concluded Moffatt. “Our junior varsity was undefeated, and the freshmen team only lost once and that was by three points to Carthage. We have good players coming up. We have great coaches in Van at all grade levels starting with our junior high program. I am excited about next season.”