Bray-Doyle football coach Wade Whatley is excited for his second year coaching the Donkeys. With 16 players, Whatley is ecstatic about the team’s numbers for the season.

“We’ve got a lot of great kids out this season,” Whatley said. “We’ve got some more out that we didn’t have last year, which means kids are starting to buy in.”

With four seniors, Whatley will be looking for their leadership to help guide the young Donkey team.

“I really enjoy seeing players like Aaron Kelly step up,” Whatley said. “His whole persona this year is completely different from last year. I think he is starting to realize that his time is really short, and he’s got to do what any senior usually does: make sure that your last little bit here is the best that you’ve got.”

The Donkeys will start over under center, with sophomore Blayden Harris taking the snaps this season.

“I like to watch Bladyn Harris lose his mind out there playing football and being quarterback,” Whatley said. “He’s got the opportunity to do it. He just has to start believing in himself and have the confidence a young kid needs to figure it out.”

The season has started rough, as the Donkeys fell to rival Central High in Week 0 and then to the Alex Longhorns in Week 2.

“Rayden Crow and Jace Ford have really stepped up these last two weeks,” Whatley said. “Rayden stepped in when we needed him against Central, and both really stepped up against Alex.”

Whatley added it’s going to take a big push from his frontlines to change the momentum for the rest of the season.

“We feel like if we can get tougher up front, we have a chance to compete,” Whatley said. “We just need our defensive and offensive lines to attack their opposition and give our linebackers and skill kids a chance to make some plays.”