Moving on Up: Tomball Memorial brings its identity to 6A

Memorial will find out its new district on Feb. 1, 2018 Vype

Originally appeared on Vype.com

After five short years of existence, little brother is making the big jump to Class 6A as community growth and expanded enrollment takes Tomball Memorial to new challenges.

Tomball Memorial makes the move as cross-town rival Tomball stays in Class 5A.

Many wonder if the jump to 6A will hinder the identity of a traditional 5A program that Tomball Memorial has enjoyed since its inception in 2012.

“We knew our great community was growing,” Tomball ISD athletic director Vince Sebo said. “You don’t run from that, you embrace the fact that your community is growing to the point of being a 6A program. We’re not intimidated by that. Our coaches will have our athletes ready to compete.”

Recent history has shown that traditional football powers making the jump from 5A to 6A can be either seamless or difficult.

Friendswood made the jump to the biggest classification in 2014 and culminated records of 8-4 (2014) and 8-5, (2015) with a regional semifinal appearance in the 2015 playoffs.

George Ranch struggled mighty with their move up in 2016 after winning a 5A state title in 2015. Going 6-5 and 6-4 respectively, in their past two seasons at the 6A level.

One item that will not change is the rivalry between Tomball and Tomball Memorial.

The “Tomball Bowl” annually brings out a huge contingent of local fans to witness which team will take home the bragging rights for 364 days.

“We most likely will have the game at the beginning of the season,” Sebo said. “Our community looks forward to these games, so we can expect all sports to continue with this rivalry.”

Until the University Interscholastic League officially announces district alignments in February, only speculation can garner where Tomball Memorial lands.

“I’ve never been right yet on guessing where our schools would end up,” Sebo said. “I would say east, west or south for us. If you’re talking about us heading north, there could be a lot of travel involved.

“Moving us to Cy-Fair could make sense if the UIL decides to make that a split division. We’ve been in Houston ISD before, so those all make sense.”

The move up to 6A should not affect the Wildcats’ football program as coach Sam Parker helped build the Spring Lions into a 6A power during his seven years on the sideline.

Parker accumulated a 20-5 record at Spring his final two seasons, leading the Lions to the 6A regional semifinals in 2015.

Official district alignments will be announced by the UIL February 1, 2018.

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The Longhorns host Georgia on Saturday night. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

By any measure, from the official statistics to the informal eye test, top-ranked Texas' defense has been dominant.

The Longhorns rank No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense. They are top 10 in first downs allowed, tackles for loss and passing yards. Much of that is built against opponents starting former walk-on quarterbacks ( Michigan ) and freshmen ( Mississippi State and Oklahoma.)

But the level of quarterback play Texas will face, in both talent and experience, is about to get much better over the second half of the season.

Texas hosts No. 5 Georgia on Saturday night in the first matchup of top five teams in Austin since 2006, before playing the next week at Vanderbilt. Bulldogs senior Carson Beck was a preseason first team Associated Press All-America pick, and standout Vanderbilt transfer Diego Pavia has carried the Commodores to a surprising 4-2 start, including a historic win over then-No. 1 Alabama.

Quite simply, Texas hasn't defended this caliber of quarterback all season.

Beck is a player on the doorstep of the NFL, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.

“There's nothing in the throw game (Beck) can't do,” Sarkisian said. “He's played enough football now, too. It's kind of hard to confuse guys when they've played that much football.”

Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC) has allowed just one team to pass for more than 200 yards this season. Beck passed for 459 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions last week in a 41-31 win over Mississippi State. His 36 completions set a Georgia record.

Even when Beck struggled early in Georgia's loss to Alabama, he rallied the Bulldogs to a late fourth-quarter lead. He finished with 439 yards in the loss where Georgia's rally ended with an Alabama interception in the end zone in the final minute.

Sarkisian recruited Beck when the Texas coach was an assistant at Alabama. Beck had initially committed to the Crimson Tide before switching to Georgia.

Beck is 18-2 in his career as a starter, and 6-2 against top 20 opponents.

The Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) will need another exceptional game from him Saturday. A second SEC loss could threaten any chance of playing for the SEC championship, and raise the alarms on the College Football Playoff as well.

Texas has all but overwhelmed opposing quarterbacks so far.

In last week's 34-3 thrashing of rival Oklahoma, the Longhorns sacked Sooners freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. five times, and held him to 27 yards on 20 carries. Texas allowed just 225 total yards.

Hawkins was the first Sooners freshman to start at quarterback against the Longhorns in the 120-year history of the rivalry and was quickly swallowed up by a relentless pass rush.

By the numbers, the Longhorns program is on pace for a historic season. Sarkisian has said his favorite stat is points allowed, which is not many.

Texas has surrendered only three touchdowns all season. Opponents have snatched four turnovers inside Texas territory, but none have produced points.

That ability to snuff momentum can drain an opponent, Sarkisian said.

“We're so composed as a defense,” Texas safety Michael Taaffe said. “We're so confident, that no matter what happens, everything is going to be alright.”

The only time Texas has trailed this season was a 3-0 early deficit against Oklahoma. Several Longhorns starters were still on the field when the Sooners' final drive stalled at the Texas 6-yard-line as the game ended.

The stars emerging for the Longhorns have been second-year linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons.

Hill leads the team in total tackles (42), sacks (4 1/2) and tackles for loss (8 1/2). His sideline-to-sideline speed and move this season from the edge to the middle of the Texas defense has drawn comparisons to former Longhorns All-American Derrick Johnson 20 years ago.

Simmons has four sacks and 7 1/2 tackles for losses, second on the team in both categories.

“Size, speed,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in summing up the Texas defense.

“They’re the complete package on defense," Smart said. "The consistency you watch them play with, it reminds me of some of our best teams here.”By any measure, from the official statistics to the informal eye test, top-ranked Texas' defense has been dominant.