2025 ETBLITZ CARTHAGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Armed & loaded Bulldogs on Drive For 11 / Presented by ZIPPY J’S
CARTHAGE – Satisfaction around Carthage isn’t yesterday’s University Interscholastic League state football championship – it’s the next one.
The Drive For 11 has begun.
ETBlitz.com welcomes head football coach Scott Surratt, his football coaching staff and team as well as the rest of the school’s athletic teams, including band, cheer and drill team, into our coverage area, along with the same at both Beckville and Pine Tree.
Carthage has reached a standard of excellence that few before them in Texas high school football have been able to reach.
Since Surratt’s hiring here prior to the 2007 season, that standard around this football program and athletic department has literally skyrocketed. And the Bulldogs have 10 state football championships in the trophy case, including last year’s Class 4A, Division II victory over Waco La Vega.
“It’s that time, again. It gets here really quick, before you know it,” said Surratt, beginning his 18th season at Carthage. “It’s been a crazy run for us, really special. I have to give our coaches and our players all the credit. It’s a tribute to them, they do a great job.
“We are very proud of what we have done and grateful for those championships, but we are focused on this year and sending these seniors out right!”
The defending state champs went wire-to-wire as No. 1 in the rankings last year, losing only once, in the season opener at home to Kilgore.
Carthage took a hit up front on both sides of the football, thanks to graduation, but they’ll manage – they always do.
These Bulldogs (or ‘Dawgs) aren’t without talented players, possessing three SEC commits and another headed to the Big 12, and a quarterback in Jett Surratt that’s thrown for 7,196 yards and 99 passing touchdowns the last couple of years.
Those are running back K.J. Edwards and linebacker Daquives “Qui” Beck, both to Texas A&M; wide receiver Keymian “Junior” Henderson to Arkansas, and linebacker Carson Crawford to Colorado.
Surratt the QB threw for 3,378 yards and 53 touchdowns last season alone. He underwent shoulder surgery (labrum & rotator cuff) in May, but is ahead of schedule with his recovery.
“We’re hoping he will be able to play the first part of the season. The surgery was a huge deal,” said his dad, the coach.
“I’ll be ready and play,” Jett assured me a little later.
Depending on what happens, the backup quarterback is Kason Burchett.
Edwards (5-11, 185) has rushed for almost 4,000 yards and 54 touchdowns thus far in his three years on the varsity. He’s this year’s preseason offensive most valuable player for District 8-4A in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football voting. “He’s unbelievable to coach, very talented and very humble. He’s as good a kid as you’ll ever coach,” said Surratt.
The choice as the district’s defensive MVP in DCTF is Beck (6-2, 215), who the last couple of seasons is credited with 234 tackles and 11 sacks. “He’s super talented, big, fast and physical and he’s going to get better the more he plays. He loves everything about football, even the practices,” Surratt continued.
Crawford (6-3, 205), the Colorado commit as a linebacker, had 91 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and nine sacks as a junior. “He’s our energy guy, very physical. He’s going to rush the passer and is able to drop in coverage for us,” said Surratt when asked about Crawford, who can also play tight end or wide receiver on offense if necessary.
When asked about his thoughts going into his final high school season, Crawford replied, “Yeah, still going into each game with the same mindset, but also a little extra chip on my shoulder to win each game. Personally, my goals: I want to have triple-digit tackle numbers, and (a) double-digit number of sacks.”
Henderson (6-4, 190) had 18 receiving touchdowns a year ago, and the Dawgs are expecting a huge season from the long, very fast and talented wideout again this year.
The opener at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium in Kilgore against those Bulldogs is one of the best in the state, according to TexasFootball.com, the DCTF website. We mentioned that Carthage is No. 1 in Division II; Kilgore, a state finalist a year ago, is No. 3 in4A- Division I.
A year ago, the same two teams kicked off the 2024 season at Bulldog Stadium, where Kilgore hadn’t won against Carthage since the stadium’s construction in 2007, until the clock ticked to zero (20-15). Carthage didn’t drop in the poll and went on to win its next 15 games, as well as its 16th district championship in 18 years, and the Division II crown at AT&T Stadium in Arlington against La Vega.
Although not perfect last season, the ‘Dawgs do have five perfect seasons (2009, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022) in 18 years, winning 233times. Think about it: that’s average of 11.38 wins per year, a remarkable number.
Pleasant Grove, a playoff rival of the ‘Dawgs, opens right behind Carthage at No. 2 in the 4A Division II preseason rankings and could be a threat to snapping a perfect run of 10 wins in 10 championship games for Carthage in this the Surratt era, if both make it back to the state finals in December. Pleasant Grove is picked to win District 7-4A Division II, but that district also includes state power Gilmer, also an ETBlitz.com coverage area school, as well as Van and Spring Hill.
PG played for the 4A-DII championships in 2017, 2018 and 2019, winning it all in 2017 and 2019.
The ‘Dawgs welcome back seven returning offensive starters to plug into their version of a pro-style offense, and six defensive starters to a 4-2-5 unit, featuring Beck and Crawford as linebackers.
Edwards (5-11, 185) rushed for 1,789 yards and 23 touchdowns to go with 31 catches for 382 yards and three receiving scores in 2024. He’ll be joined in the backfield by Benny Smith (5-10, 210, senior).
Henderson (6-4, 190) finished his junior season with 64 catches for 1,085 yards.
Other offensive players of note include tight end Cade Ross (6-1, 190, senior), who had 37 catches and eight touchdowns last year; wide receiver / defensive back J.D. Edwards, a sophomore; offensive guards Tyler Ortego and Jeremiah Jones, both seniors; and offensive tackle Carson Carter (6-2, 235), a senior, as well.
Surratt also mentioned a couple of all-state safeties in Tylin Williams (5-7, 175) and Jayden Lewis (5-10, 160), both seniors, and defensive tackles Zay Owens (5-10, 185) and Carson Carter (6-2, 235).
After the Kilgore game and then an early-season open date week, the ‘Dawgs’ stout non-district schedule has Liberty-Eylau (No. 7 in 3A-DI) and Chapel Hill (No. 11 in 4A-DI) in back-to-back home games before a road trip to Jasper, then a neutral-site game against San Benito in Bay City for the second year in a row.
Carthage opens district play against No. 24 Center before playing No. 20 Athens at home and rounding out district against Bullard, Rusk and Brownsboro.
See the schedule graphic below, courtesy of Carthage Bulldog Athletics Facebook.
