The No. 24 Brownwood Lions will begin their 2026 football scrimmage slate Thursday evening at Gordon Wood Stadium, where they will face No. 6 Brock in the first preseason test of the year.
Brock is ranked sixth in Class 4A Division II by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, while Brownwood enters the season ranked No. 24. The matchup is the first of seven ranked opponents scheduled across the Lions’ scrimmage and regular-season schedule.
For Brownwood’s players and coaches, the scrimmage will provide an early measure of how the team is developing. Lions second-year head coach Jeryl Brixey said Brock’s reputation makes the contest especially valuable.
“Brock is a powerhouse in 4A Division II,” said Lions second-year head coach Jeryl Brixey. “It’s going to be a really good measure for where we’re at. Then we hope we can see them again down the road because that would be the very last game in December if we did that.”
Experienced Brownwood defense meets a developing offense
Brownwood is coming off a 7-5 season in 2025 and has won four consecutive bi-district championships. The Lions return substantial experience on defense, but the offense is working through a different transition, with more newcomers than returning veterans expected among the likely two-deep roster.
Brock enters as the favorite to win District 3-4A Division II after reaching the state semifinals last season with a 14-1 record. The Eagles return five starters on both sides of the ball. Their returning offensive players include quarterback Holt Frazier, tight end Davis Lee and running back Bryer McDonald. Hayden Waller and Jack Farhat are among the defensive leaders returning.
Brixey said Brownwood will be looking for physical play, sound execution and improvement at several positions during the scrimmage.
“The biggest thing I’m looking for is for our kids to be absolutely physical,” Brixey said. “We’re going to hit, we’re going to block, we’re going to finish plays and eliminate mental busts. Brock is a physical program, so it will be a good test for us in that regard. I want to see where we are in those types of situations.”
The coaching staff also plans to evaluate positions where the current personnel picture remains unsettled.
“We’ve got a couple of positions where we have to get better, and this is the week where we need to see a lot of improvement or we’ll have to start rethinking some things personnel-wise,” Brixey said. “We feel like we’re good right now, but maybe in the long run it’s not the answer we’re looking for. You have to start finding answers, but that’s the whole process.”
Thursday scrimmage schedule and fundraiser
Action begins at 5:30 p.m. with the junior varsity and freshman teams working on opposite ends of the field. Each team will run 40 plays. The varsity squads are scheduled to take the field shortly after 6:30 p.m.
The varsity format will include alternating defensive and offensive segments for the first and second units, followed by a live quarter. Organizers may use either a regulation clock or a running clock if the scrimmage runs late. The quarterback will receive a quick whistle if a player breaks free.
The event will also support “Our Day to Shine,” a fundraiser for the Texas High School Coaches Association benevolence fund. A donation of at least $2 is requested for admission, but donating is not required to attend.