BRYAN, TX --Bryan ISD has turned to Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor member Ross Rogers to help turn the Viking football program around after six seasons under Bob Bellard.

Rogers returns to the sidelines after retiring from Harker Heights after the 2006 season. He will now try to take the Vikings to the heights he did across town in College Station for A&M Consolidated when he led the Tigers to the 1991 4A state title. The cupboard is far from bare, but the Vikings will have a lot of holes to fill after losing a big senior class. Chris Johnson returns from injury and returns as the starting quarterback.

The senior, who has verbally committed to Baylor, threw for nearly 500 yards and seven touchdowns and ran for 436 yards and six more scores before an injury kept him out of the Vikings final three games. Running back Bobby Johnson, who broke off some big runs as a sophomore, is the only other returning starter on offense.

Zac Slaydon and V.J. Banks are the only two listed returning starters on defense. The Vikings non-district schedule includes a 4A squad and two teams, Midway and Pflugerville Hendrickson, who are moving up to 5A this season.

The schedule gives Bryan a chance to build some momentum before beginning 14-5A play at Oak Ridge on September 28.

The Vikings and A&M Consolidated move south district wise in 2012, trading games with Waco area schools for schools in the Conroe area. “I like the change of geographic proximity,” said Rogers.

The first-year Bryan coach has work cut out for him, but if things go well, as they historically tend to do for Rogers-led teams, the Vikings could contend for a playoff spot in 2012.

2012 SCHEDULE
8/31 Waco Midway
9/7 @ Magnolia
9/14 @ Belton
9/21 Pflugerville Hendrickson
9/28 @ Oak Ridge
10/5 Conroe
10/12 A&M Consolidated (Kyle Field)
10/19 Lufkin
10/26 @ The Woodlands
11/2 OPEN
11/9 College Park