BRENHAM CUBS ENTER FOOTBALL SEASON WITH MOMENTUM, EXPERIENCE AND HIGH ASPIRATIONS
With the 2025 high school football season on the horizon, Head Coach Danny Youngs and the Brenham Cubs are charging in with confidence, experience, and a clear goal: to build on last year’s impressive postseason run and make an even deeper push in the Texas 5A playoffs.
The Cubs return to action after a standout 2024 campaign that saw them finish with a 9-1 regular season record, including a perfect 5-0 mark in district play en route to a district championship and a berth in the regional semifinals. With the majority of their starters back on both sides of the ball, Brenham enters the season as the clear favorite to repeat as district champions, according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.
Loaded with Returning Talent
This year’s roster is headlined by a wealth of returning experience, nine starters on offense and eight on defense, making Brenham one of the most seasoned and dangerous teams in the region.
Among the returning stars is junior running back JaKoby Dixon, who is coming off a spectacular sophomore campaign in which he rushed for 2,248 yards and tallied 34 total touchdowns. Dixon was unanimously named District MVP in 2024 and earned first-team all-district honors. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has projected him not only to repeat as the district’s top offensive player but also to be a frontrunner for Class 5A Player of the Year.
Joining Dixon in the offensive backfield are senior wide receivers Chris Guidry and Cartelle Brown, who provide a dynamic, high-impact duo on the outside. Guidry, the Cubs’ top receiver last season, hauled in 41 catches for 848 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning first-team all-district honors. Brown adds versatility and explosiveness to the offense, with 592 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns, and 247 rushing yards in 2024.
At quarterback, the competition is still open as Xyran Upshaw and Hudson Hartstack battle for the starting job throughout preseason practices. Regardless of who takes the reins, they’ll be supported by one of the most experienced offensive lines in the district. The line features returning standouts such as senior Andre Mojica, the reigning District Lineman of the Year, as well as seniors Antonie “Papo” Najera, Dawson Moran, and Aaron Carlile, all of whom earned all-district honors a season ago.
Defense Built to Dominate
Defensively, the Cubs are anchored by standout senior linebacker Caleb Espinoza, who was a dominant and consistent force in 2024 with 157 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks. Espinoza earned unanimous Defensive MVP honors and is widely regarded as one of the top defenders in Class 5A football. Beside him is fellow senior Kristian Prosper, a hard-hitting linebacker who racked up 100 tackles and also earned first-team all-district recognition. Together, they lead a veteran linebacker corps that will be the heart of a physical, fast, and aggressive defense.
In the secondary, juniors Ledrick Walker Jr. and Quincy Adams headline a talented group of defensive backs. Walker was second on the team in both interceptions (2) and passes defensed (7) last year, and his physical play earned him a spot on the all-district first team. Both he and Adams were named players to watch in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.
The Cubs’ defensive line is equally formidable, returning key contributors like senior edge rusher Mason Seeber, who posted six sacks, nine tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries in 2024. Seeber, along with junior interior lineman Job Rodriguez, gives the Cubs strength and explosiveness in the trenches. Rodriguez notched 60 tackles and two sacks as a sophomore and is expected to take an even bigger step forward this fall. Seniors Doyle Brown and Jase Mueller round out a deep and experienced defensive front that earned multiple all-district honors last season.
Special Teams Stability
The theme of experience extends to the special teams unit, where Brenham returns all of its key specialists from 2024. Senior punter Landon Zelenka, junior kicker Bleu Cienega, and junior long snapper Owen Robinson all earned all-district recognition and provide the Cubs with a consistent and reliable special teams foundation.
Season Outlook
The 2025 schedule opens in dramatic fashion as the Cubs host long-time rival Huntsville in the season opener. Last year’s contest was a 39-35 thriller won by Brenham, and the Hornets return several key players aiming for redemption. The regular season closes with another key matchup against Belton, a team pegged as the projected district runner-up by Dave Campbell’s despite a 2-9 finish in 2024. Belton returns eight starters on both offense and defense and could present a late-season challenge.
As the Cubs prepare to take the field, expectations are sky-high in Brenham. With a seasoned roster, elite talent on both sides of the ball, and a coaching staff led by the steady hand of Coach Danny Youngs, the Cubs have set their sights not just on repeating as district champions, but on chasing a state title.