Pigskin Preview: Fort Davis Indians

After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, Fort Davis is on a mission to get in, and win the district title in 2023.
Published: Aug. 21, 2023 at 9:55 PM CDT

FORT DAVIS, Texas (KOSA) - I’ve never seen a 6-man team hit each other like the Fort Davis Indians.

“Go out there and play how we play,” second-year head coach Kyler Roach said. “We like to hit hard, on offense and defense.”

A 70-64 loss to Van Horn in the last week of the regular season kept Fort Davis out of the playoffs last year.

“That was disappointing,” senior quarterback Truett Reagan said. “Not getting there, with the expectation of getting there. But we’re working toward it this season.”

“We had a great team,” senior lineman Adrian Chavez said. “Bunch of seniors, bunch of guys we love, just couldn’t get the outcome we wanted in district. We all seem super motivated.”

For the first time in their careers, this senior class will have the same head coach in back-to-back seasons.

“It feels nice to have a coach again,” laughed senior fullback/linebacker Kevin Perez.

“It’s been a lot smoother because the kids know what to expect,” Roach said. “They understand the offense and defense. They understand all the little things it took a lot of time last year to clean up.”

Perez (6′0″, 225) will be a key player on both sides of the ball, after being out last season with injury.

“I missed this,” he said. “I missed playing and just having a helmet on.”

“A game-changer,” Roach said. “He’s one of those bigger types, but he can move, he can throw, he can kind of do it all.”

Roach said to watch for Chavez as well, who he described as a “mean, nasty offensive lineman” at 6-foot, 225 pounds.

Fort Davis plays in District 6-1A DII with Van Horn, Marfa, and Buena Vista, which feels open to whichever team wants to take it.

“I think it’s possible,” Reagan said. “But we need to push ourselves harder than we ever have.”

“Man, it would mean everything,” Chavez said. " The last time we won district was my freshman year. I came in on a district title, I wanna leave on a district title.”