Braswell Offensive Scouting Report

Nine Returning Starters and a New Coaching Staff Give the Bengals a Different Look Entering Friday Night

By Merv Moore • Shop in Seagoville • August 27, 2026

Denton Braswell scored just over 11 points per game during a 2-8 season in 2025. Crandall should not expect to see the same offense Friday night.

The Bengals return nine offensive starters, including their leading running back and two experienced offensive linemen, while new head coach Justen Evans brings a history of producing balanced, explosive offenses at Corpus Christi Miller.

There are still questions, particularly at quarterback and wide receiver. But Braswell has enough returning experience to give Crandall problems if the Pirates allow the Bengals to establish their running game.

Scouting Report Snapshot

The Offense Starts With Zahir Trufant

The first name on Crandall’s defensive scouting report should be Zahir Trufant.

Trufant rushed 120 times for 617 yards and four touchdowns last season while adding 13 receptions for 51 yards and another score. He earned second team all-district recognition.

Those season numbers do not fully show what he is capable of producing. Against Coppell, Trufant carried 23 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns, including runs of 71 and 42 yards. He also caught an 18 yard touchdown pass as Braswell pushed a 10 win Coppell team to the final minutes before losing by a score of 25-21.

That game showed the formula Braswell would like to recreate. Get Trufant through the first level, make defenders tackle him in space and use the running game to keep the entire offense available. Crandall cannot allow him to turn four-yard runs into 40-yard sprints.

Braswell Has More Than One Running Back

Stopping Trufant does not end the assignment. Sophomore Chris Lark received meaningful varsity carries as a freshman and showed his potential against Fort Worth Boswell, rushing 10 times for 69 yards and averaging 6.9 yards per attempt. He is listed as both a running back and quarterback, which makes him particularly interesting under the new coaching staff.

Senior Kameren Robinson gives Braswell another experienced option, while Andravion Moore also received varsity carries last season. The depth allows Evans to keep fresh runners on the field and potentially create different packages without making major personnel changes. Crandall should expect more than a traditional one back rushing attack.

Quarterback Is the Biggest Question

Braswell’s most important offensive uncertainty remains quarterback. The Bengals used multiple quarterbacks last season and did not produce a consistent passing attack.

Junior Zaivyn Nyaku appears positioned to play a significant role in the new offense. He is listed as a dual threat quarterback and already received varsity experience as a sophomore. Nyaku’s athleticism is important because it gives Evans another way to stress Crandall’s defensive front.

If Braswell combines Trufant with a quarterback who can keep the football, Crandall’s defensive ends and linebackers will have to remain disciplined instead of automatically collapsing toward the running back.

Braswell also lists several other quarterback options, including Khalyl Moore, Zachary Johnson and Lark. There has been no reliable public depth chart confirming the Week 1 starter, so Crandall may have to prepare for more than one possibility.

Expect Braswell to Attack the Box

Evans’ offensive history provides the best clue about what Braswell may eventually become. At Miller, his teams developed a reputation for explosive passing offenses, but Evans was willing to change depending on how defenses lined up.

That philosophy fits his current personnel. Braswell has an established running back, several additional ball carriers and nine returning offensive starters. Crandall therefore has to defend formations rather than automatically assuming that spread personnel means pass.

If the Pirates remove too many defenders from the box, Braswell has the personnel to run. If Crandall crowds the line of scrimmage, the Bengals will look for opportunities outside. That numbers game could be one of the most important tactical battles Friday.

The Offensive Line Has Experience

Braswell returns two all district honorable mention offensive linemen in Chasen Johnson and Mason Richardson. Johnson is a versatile tackle who can also play guard, while Richardson has experience at both guard and center. Senior center Daniel Maya adds another experienced interior option.

The line does not have to dominate Crandall for Braswell’s offense to function. It simply has to create enough movement to give Trufant a clean first read and enough protection for the quarterback to operate the play action and RPO portions of the offense. Crandall’s defensive front should have opportunities to create disruption. The key will be doing it without losing gap integrity. Aggressive penetration is useful until it opens a running lane.

The Passing Game Has More to Prove

This is the area where Braswell enters opening night with the most uncertainty. The Bengals did not consistently threaten defenses through the air last season.

That did not prevent Braswell from nearly upsetting Coppell because Trufant controlled the game on the ground, but relying on that formula every week would make the offense easier to defend.

Braswell does return some receiving experience. Anthony Rivera caught four passes for 49 yards against Coppell, while the current roster includes additional receivers such as Christian Bourgeois, Bryson Bryant, Kelvin Parker and Zaylen Redmond.

What Braswell does not have is a returning receiver with the established production of Crandall’s Jeremiah Douglas. That makes Friday important. If Braswell demonstrates that its receivers can consistently win outside, Crandall will have to defend the entire field. If not, the Pirates can devote more resources toward stopping the running game.

Chris Lark Could Be the Wild Card

What Braswell Wants to Do

The likely offensive objective is relatively straightforward: establish the run. If Trufant begins producing consistently, everything becomes easier. Braswell can use play action. Nyaku or another mobile quarterback can become involved in the rushing attack. The Bengals can use RPO concepts against linebackers stepping toward the line. And Evans can dictate the game instead of putting an inexperienced passing attack into obvious third and long situations.

Braswell does not want a game in which its quarterback has to throw 35 times to keep pace with Crandall. The Bengals are much more dangerous if they are consistently facing second and five, instead of second and 11.

Where Crandall Can Attack

Braswell still has to prove it can consistently throw the football. That is the challenge Crandall should force. The Pirates cannot simply sell out against Trufant because Braswell’s new offensive system and quarterback mobility could punish overaggressive defenders. But Crandall should make the Bengals earn their passing yards.

• Stop the early down run
• Keep the quarterback contained
• Tackle Trufant before he reaches the secondary
• Force third and long
• Make Braswell’s quarterback and receivers repeatedly execute

That puts pressure on the least proven portion of the offense.

Bottom Line

Braswell’s 2025 offense was not good enough. Its 2026 offense has considerably more upside. Nine starters return, Trufant gives the Bengals a legitimate featured back, Lark provides another explosive rushing option and Evans has a proven history of building offenses capable of attacking defenses in multiple ways.

The quarterback and passing game remain the major questions. For Crandall, the first objective should be preventing Braswell from answering those questions on easy terms. If the Pirates control the running game and force Braswell to win through the air, the advantage should shift toward Crandall. If Trufant gets rolling and Braswell stays ahead of the chains, Friday night’s opener becomes considerably more dangerous.