Crandall enters 2026 coming off a playoff appearance, moving up to Class 5A Division I and returning much of the production that helped the Pirates open last season 6-0.
The numbers below tell the story of where this team has been, what it brings back and what stands between Crandall and a district championship.
7-4
Crandall’s final record last season. The Pirates opened 6-0 before the schedule turned difficult, eventually settling for a first-round playoff exit. That fast start is part of why the offense enters 2026 with real expectations — the pieces that carried Crandall through September are largely the same pieces returning this fall.
4-3
Crandall’s district record a season ago, good for a fourth-place finish before UIL realignment moved the Pirates into District 7-5A Division I for 2026. The new district brings tougher competition, but also a roster built to compete in it immediately.
4,191
Crandall’s combined rushing and passing yardage from 2025. The offense wasn’t one-dimensional, and most of the players responsible for that balance are back for another season.
50
Rushing and passing touchdowns scored by the Pirates last season, split fairly evenly between the ground game and the passing attack. That kind of two-way scoring threat is difficult for a defense to game-plan around, and it’s a big reason Crandall enters 2026 projected near the top of its new district.
67.3%
Crandall’s team completion percentage last season, achieved while throwing only a handful of interceptions across the full year. Senior Isaac Briones now moves into the primary quarterback role after already handling a significant share of those attempts, meaning the Pirates aren’t installing a new passing identity so much as expanding on one that already worked.
1,200+
The rushing-yard level Darrik Ward Jr. reached as a sophomore, a number that made him one of the area’s most productive backs before he’d even reached his junior year. Ward returns as the clear centerpiece of the running game, with Christian Ingram and Micah Wright both back as proven complementary options behind him.
1,000+
Jeremiah Douglas’ receiving-yard total last season. The Vanderbilt commit also caught more than 60 passes and reached double-digit touchdowns, giving Crandall an established No. 1 option in the passing game.
The bigger question for 2026 is how many other receivers can produce alongside him — receiver King Franklin returns with modest production of his own, but the passing game’s ceiling depends on someone beyond Douglas becoming a consistent threat.
5
The number of returning starters giving Crandall continuity beyond its three headline skill players. Along the offensive line, senior guard Brent Starr and juniors Colton Braswell and Khylan Dyer all return with starting experience.
In the secondary, junior cornerback Davyn Davis and senior safety Jayden McCleary provide a proven foundation. None of that shows up in a highlight reel, but it’s the difference between installing units from scratch and simply building on ones that already have a season of reps together.
76%
Approximately the share of Crandall’s 2025 rushing yardage produced by known returning players. That level of returning production should make the backfield one of the Pirates’ clearest strengths heading into a tougher schedule.
3
Crandall’s first three opponents are all significant tests. The Pirates open at Class 6A Denton Braswell, travel to Class 6A playoff qualifier Rowlett and then host a Terrell team that went 12-1 last season. Crandall should know plenty about itself before district play even begins.
50
The point differential in last year’s meeting between Terrell and Crandall, a 63-13 result. The Pirates get the rematch at home Sept. 11 against a Tigers team that returns several top skill players but must replace all five starting offensive linemen.
11-2
West Mesquite’s record last season, the best mark among Crandall’s new district opponents. The Wranglers are Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s pick to win District 7-5A Division I. Crandall visits West Mesquite on Oct. 30.
4-7
Tyler’s record last season. Despite that mark, the Dallas Morning News projects the Lions to win the district in 2026, largely on the strength of returning skill talent. Crandall travels to Tyler on Oct. 16.
2nd and 3rd
Crandall’s positions in the two major preseason district projections. Dave Campbell’s has the Pirates second behind West Mesquite. The Dallas Morning News places Crandall third behind Tyler and West Mesquite. Both projections put the Pirates comfortably inside the four-team playoff field.
7
District games on Crandall’s schedule: Sunset, Bryan Adams, North Mesquite, Tyler, Mesquite, West Mesquite and W.T. White. Four victories guarantee a winning district record, but Crandall will likely need more than that to contend for the championship.
2
Crandall’s two most important projected district games are both on the road, at Tyler and at West Mesquite, during the second half of the season. Winning at least one could have a major impact on playoff seeding. Winning both could put Crandall in position to win the district outright.
2026
The Pirates enter a new classification, a new district and a season with higher expectations. Crandall has enough returning offense to compete immediately.
The numbers suggest the biggest variable will be whether the defense develops quickly enough to support it. This is no longer a team simply trying to reach the playoffs — it’s a team expected to be in the District 7-5A Division I race.
