Eagles hope to return to winning tradition, look to get past annual nemesis

Salado Eagles will kick off the 2015 football season 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29 at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Crusader stadium against the Troy Trojans.

The Eagles lost to Troy last year 49-7 after Keaton Mims returned the opening kick off 90 yards.

The Eagles return five offensive starters from last year’s 0-10 team, including three seniors and two sophomores. Seniors Preston Payne and Coby Chambliss return as wide receivers and Tyler Armstrong returns as running back. Sophomores Cutter Hudgens, wide receiver, and Zach Adams, offensive lineman, both return from last year’s starting squad.

Salado returns another six starters from last year’s defensive squad: Free safety Payne, outside lineback Chambliss and linebacker Armstrong.

Returning defensive linemen are seniors Hayden Ebeling, defensive line, Nik Lowrance and junior Jay Quintanilla.

Ebeling will start at quarterback for the Eagles.

Returning lettermen are seniors Kaden Trice, receiver and defensive back,   Armstrong, as linebacker and Tyler Stairs as wide receiver and defensive back. Also returning are juniors Allen Sirois, running back and defensive line, Jake Elliott, quarterback and defensive back and Jay Quintanilla, defensive line.

Salado will run a 3-4  defense under defensive coordinator Larry Moore and co-defensive coordinator Josh Dillard.

The Eagles will continue to run the spread offense under Brent Graham, who will be offensive coordinator as well as head football coach.

Last year, the Eagles were outscored 437-102 and 221-38 in four district games at the 4A Div. II level. Salado will play La Grange, Caldwell, Smithville and Giddings in district play again this year.

In two seasons as head coach, Graham’s Eagles are 1-19 and 1-10 in district play.

Salado Eagles have struggled through  a half-decade of losing football since Jeff Cheatham left Salado for Round Rock.

Following the 2009 season, Salado has gone 9-41 in five seasons under two head coaches, Graham and Glenn Talbott. Talbott had a record of 8-22 in three seasons with 4-13 overall district record. Five of Talbott’s eight wins came in his second season at the head of the Salado program.

The Eagles are looking to return to a winning tradition. The first step in that is defeating their annual nemesis Troy.