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When one chapter comes to a close, a new one begins. The Orangefield Bobcats find themselves in the midst of a major transition as they approach their first season without longtime head coach Josh Smalley since 2011.

A coach’s first year with their new program tends to create growing pains, and taking over the mantle from the school’s all-time wins leader adds an extra layer to expectations. With that said, new Orangefield head coach Jeff Breaux is fully prepared to lead his team into the next era of Bobcat football.

“It’s some big shoes to fill,” Breaux said. “Smalley did a great job and we want to continue what they’ve had going here; keep building it; keep working hard; keep pushing and compete for district championships just like they’ve done in the past.”

Breaux comes to Orangefield after three years as offensive coordinator at Little Cypress-Mauriceville, where he helped lead some of the best Bears’ offenses in recent memory.  Having poached Parker James from the LC-M staff to be the Bobcats’ new offensive coordinator, the duo look to renovate the Orangefield system from the ground up.

The biggest change by far is the team’s transition to the spread offense, a marked change from the traditional Slot-T seen over the past decade-plus.

“When we got here, we started immediately trying to teach our guys a new route tree and working on the passing game,” Breaux said. “It’s a huge shift offensively for us, but I think the players here can do it. It’s just going to take a lot of hard work.”

The Bobcats return five offensive starters and will utilize a much more balanced offensive attack as they move to the spread scheme. However, they will still look to establish the run as always. 

That starts with running back Mason Manning, who Breaux said put on good weight over the offseason but has kept the speed which helped him break the 1,000-yard mark last season. Breaux also bragged about Manning’s receiving ability, which makes him a versatile weapon and, arguably, the focal point of the offense.

The receiver corps is more of an unknown due to Orangefield’s lack of passing game in years past. However, Breaux said slot receiver Zach Morrow brings a lot to the table and will likely make an impact catching passes from quarterback Carson Gonzalez, who started several games as a freshman last season.

The defense should have a somewhat easier time adjusting to what the new coaching staff wants. The Bobcats will still run a base 3-4 defense, but Breaux said he’s looking to shake things up when it comes to coverages and blitz packages. He said so far, the defense is doing well picking up the changes.

Linebacker Kaleb Menard, the 2023 Defensive Newcomer of the Year in District 10-3A, is undoubtedly the heart and soul of the defense. 

“He’s a guy with a high motor and it’s running all the time,” Breaux said. “He just brings that presence where teams have to know where he’s at because he’s a relentless defender. He’s going to find that football, so he’s big for us.”

Linemen Kaleb Myers and William Crosby bring experience up front, and linebacker Caden Knox has transitioned to an outside LB role.

As Breaux takes over the program, he wants to make sure everyone in the building is on the same page.

“We want to establish the culture,” he said. “Work ethic, leadership, hard work is what we’re wanting. We’re going to play fast. It’s going to be disciplined, hard-nosed, and we’ll handle everything the right way in the locker room and the weight room.”

While the program is in a transition period from one staff to the next, it represents an exciting opportunity for the Bobcats to reinvent themselves and get back to competing for district titles.

The community’s support is behind them — Breaux said Orangefield and the tight-knit Bobcat faithful have been great ever since he arrived last spring. Now, he’s just ready to get on the field.

The new-look Orangefield Bobcats open the 2024 season with a home game against the Woodville Eagles, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m.