Rebuilding Bronco Football, eyeing success…

Last season the Meadow Broncos were supposed to do very well with the seniors they had, plus the speed. However, that did not pan out as they had hoped. Unfortunately, Meadow went 2-8 on the season ironically winning the first and last games of the season. Perhaps that’ll change this season with a new head football coach at the helm. Since 2015, there have been seven (7) coaching changes and this season will be no different.

Coach Josh Conner stepped down after the 2022 season to go work in the private sector. This meant the Broncos were getting a new coach. It didn’t take long for MISD to hire Jacob Guzman. Of course, Coach Guzman is no stranger to six-man football and west Texas as he was raised in Hermleigh, about 11 miles southeast of Snyder. During his time as a football player at Hermleigh, Coach Guzman was a force to be reckoned with on defense. Guzman and the Cardinals had a great season in 2015, where he was named 1st Team All-District on defense out of District 7-1A DI.

Coach Guzman has been at Meadow since the middle of the 2023 track season, so he was able to get to know the athletes prior to two-a-day workouts. Coach Guzman was the head football coach at Savoy ISD before coming to Meadow. Coach Guzman’s first stop was at (Roscoe) Highland ISD as a defensive coach for 2 years for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, where he would face two state championship teams in district, which was Sterling City and Westbrook during those two seasons.

Right now, the Broncos are in what some would call “a rebuilding year” and have 11 football players. With several graduating, this has left the Broncos with very few returning starters and no seniors. With those 11 players who have come out to play football this season, the team will need to rely on Junior Logan Casteneda for leadership. Castaneda should help lead the younger players.

Coach Guzman will run a J-Bird formation on offense and will be tight. “We are going to run the ball, slow down the game, and run the time out.” said Coach Guzman. On the defense side of the ball, Coach Guzman said, “We are going to implement the 2-3… we’ll be “old school” on defense.

In the first game of the season, Meadow will travel about three hours away to Baird. Last season, the Broncos placed the 45-point mercy rule upon them 46-0. In week 2, Meadow will travel to regional powerhouse Borden County. Last season they lost 62-14 to BC and including that game the Broncos went on a seven-game losing streak. 

Beginning in week 3, Meadow will have three home games in a row and the first of three, they’ll host Paducah. Last season the game was canceled due to storms. In week 4, the Broncos will see a different team while hosting Azle Christian School. Last year Meadow took on Whitharral in week 4, however, they will not play each other this season. They round up their three home games in a row with Claude. The Broncos lost by two points to the Mustangs last season.

In their final two pre-district games the Broncos will travel to Petersburg in week 6 and then take on Buena Vista in a neutral site at Highland south of Roscoe in week 7. Meadow will end up getting their bi-week right before they begin district action.

Their first district game will be in week 9 when they travel over to O’Donnell. Last year the Broncos fell 30-69. In week 10, Whiteface will come over to Meadow. The Antelopes were a surprise team last season as the won district and beat Meadow 64-6. The Broncos will travel over to cross-county rival Wellman-Union in week 11 for their final regular season game. Last season Meadow won 80-13.

Roster