This year’s coaching transition brings significant changes to Woodville, with half the staff being new.
WOODVILLE, Texas — The Woodville Eagles began their first official day of football practice under new head coach Heath Clawson, marking a fresh chapter for the program that reached the state championship game last season.
Clawson, a 24-year veteran of Texas high school football, takes over a team that lost to Gunter High School in the state title game under former coach Ty Robinson. The Eagles face immediate pressure with high expectations and a challenging season opener against Orangefield.
“We’re gonna focus on what we’re doing today,” Clawson said Monday morning during the first day of practice. “You can’t take care of September, October, November or December until it gets here. Today is what we can focus on.”
The coaching transition brings significant changes to Woodville, with half the staff being new. Clawson acknowledged the challenges of inheriting a successful program while implementing his own systems and expectations.
“They had a lot of success last year and so there’s those high expectations,” Clawson said. “Not being complacent on the fact that hey it’s just gonna happen again. Now you’re not gonna surprise anybody. Everybody’s got a target on us.”
The Eagles must also replace key players from last year’s championship run, requiring new athletes to step into expanded roles. Despite returning talent, Clawson emphasized that this represents “a whole new season, a whole new team.”
Woodville opens the season at home against Orangefield, coached by Jeff Breaux. The Eagles defeated Orangefield on the road last season, but Clawson stressed his team’s focus remains on daily improvement rather than looking ahead to specific opponents.
“Don’t think about this game or that game, think about get better today,” he tells his players. “Tomorrow we’ll come back and get better again, and then we’ll go from there and take one week at a time and we’ll be fine.”
The veteran coach brings extensive experience to a program accustomed to success. Despite his tenure, Clawson says he still experiences the same excitement and nerves that come with a new season.
“I’m still having a hard time going to sleep at night last night, sitting there thinking about everything we’re gonna do today in the season and that excitement is still there,” he said. “The only difference in being 24 years and my first year is that I know more of what to expect.”
As Southeast Texas football teams prepare for another competitive season, Woodville enters with championship aspirations tempered by the reality of starting fresh under new leadership. The Eagles will face multiple tough opponents in their regular season schedule as they attempt to return to the state championship game.
“We’re just excited to be here,” Clawson said. “I know these guys are ready to play. They’re ready to try to make another run like they did last year, so we’re gonna put our best out there every week and may the best team win.”
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