A team that finished 2-8 a year ago should make for a favorable season opener. Denton Braswell is not a normal two-win squad.
When Crandall opens the 2026 season Friday against the Class 6A Bengals, the Pirates will face a program that returns most of its starting lineup.
Braswell features several proven defensive playmakers, and is now led by one of the more successful turnaround coaches in Texas high school football.
The Bengals struggled last season. The team Crandall faces Friday could look considerably different.
A Major Coaching Change
The biggest reason for that difference is new head coach Justen Evans.
Evans arrives at Braswell after nine seasons at Corpus Christi Miller, where he built the Buccaneers into a consistent contender in South Texas. He carries a career record of 84-36 and led Miller to regional final appearances in three different classifications.
Miller reached double digit win totals four times during a six season stretch from 2019 through 2024, highlighted by a 2023 campaign in which the Buccaneers finished 13-1.
That history matters because Braswell is not asking Evans to rebuild from nothing. He inherited an experienced roster.
Braswell Brings Back Experience Everywhere
The Bengals return 45 lettermen, nine offensive starters, and seven defensive starters from last season.
That is an unusual amount of returning experience for a program coming off consecutive losing seasons.
Crandall will see familiar faces at running back, along the offensive line, and throughout a defense that includes several of Braswell’s most productive players from 2025.
The most established offensive name is Zahir Trufant.
Trufant earned second team all district recognition last season and enters 2026 as Braswell’s most proven offensive weapon. He rushed for more than 600 yards despite playing behind an offense that struggled to score consistently.
His signature performance shows why Crandall should not judge him by season totals alone. Against a Coppell team that finished the season 10-2, Trufant rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns and added a receiving score.
Braswell led 14-3 at halftime and reclaimed the lead late in the fourth quarter before Coppell escaped with a 25-21 win.
That was not the performance of a team incapable of competing with quality opponents.
The Defense Has Proven Production
Braswell may be even more dangerous defensively.
Safety Emanuel Fuller recorded 95 tackles during a breakout sophomore season and earned second team all district honors. Defensive end Ivory Marshall produced 73.5 tackles and 13 tackles for loss.
Linebacker Huran Brown III finished with 47 tackles and 14 tackles for loss, while Grant Goshton added 72 tackles.
That gives Braswell proven production at all three levels of its defense.
The Bengals also bring in a new defensive coordinator in Eddie Moten, who spent years coaching defensive backs at the college level.
For Crandall’s experienced offense, the challenge will be figuring out how much Braswell has improved structurally under its new staff.
Last Season Still Matters
None of this means Braswell’s struggles in 2025 should be dismissed.
The Bengals finished 2-8 and averaged just over 11 points per game. There were games in which the offense simply could not generate enough production to stay competitive.
Crandall enters Friday night with considerably more established offensive firepower.
But the mistake would be assuming Braswell looks like the same team with another year attached to the roster.
Most of the offense returns. Most of the defense returns. And the coaching staff has changed entirely.
That combination creates real uncertainty, particularly in a season opener when Crandall has no regular season film showing exactly what Evans intends to do with his new personnel.
Others Are Noticing Braswell
Crandall is not the only program paying attention.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has identified Braswell as one of its potential 6A bounce back programs and recently projected the Bengals to finish fourth in District 5-6A, a placement that would put them into the playoffs.
Braswell was specifically described as a sleeper because of its returning experience and Evans’ arrival.
That does not guarantee a turnaround. It does show that expectations around the program have shifted considerably since last November.
A Dangerous Opening Night Opponent
For Crandall, Friday night presents a genuine test.
The Pirates are a 5A Division I program traveling to face a larger Class 6A opponent, but classification alone will not decide this matchup. Crandall has its own veteran playmakers and enters the season with legitimate expectations of its own.
The key is avoiding the assumption that Braswell’s record tells Crandall everything it needs to know.
It does not.
The Bengals return an experienced lineup. They have a running back capable of producing against strong competition.
Their defense includes several proven tacklers and disruptive players. And their new head coach has already shown he can change the direction of a struggling program.
Braswell still has plenty to prove.
But 2-8 describes where the Bengals finished last season. It may not describe the team waiting for Crandall on Friday night.
