District 11-5A-DII Breakdown: Crawford, Fort Bend Marshall & More

Crawford's move up to 5A Division II is the storyline reshaping District 11-5A-DII heading into the season. After going 14-0 last year in 4A with a demanding schedule, the program arrives in a new classification with legitimate state-level talent. Quarterback Braden Fisher returns alongside Diedrich Polk at running back and receiver Alvin Mosley, giving Crawford a skill-position group that Matt Step of Dave Campbell's Texas Football compares favorably to anyone in Texas. The concern is on the other side of the ball, where eight defensive starters graduated. Cameron Alakija — last year's defensive MVP with 122 tackles — anchors the secondary, but the defensive line remains an open question heading into a non-district slate that includes Katy Freeman and Laporte.

Fort Bend Marshall enters the year with a new head coach and something to prove. The program's five-year decline has tracked closely with Iowa Colony's rise in the district, but there are reasons for optimism. The Buffaloes may have the best defensive line in the district — Andre Meadows, Daryl Turner, and Langston Lowe form a front three capable of disrupting opposing offenses — and the JV squad went 7-3 last year. Quarterback Kevin Carr is expected to lead the offense as it matures, though finding a reliable running back remains unresolved. Step projects Marshall as the second seed.

Victoria West, a program that has reached the third round of the playoffs in each of the last two years, slots in as the projected three seed despite graduating a strong senior class. Six defensive starters and three offensive starters return, with linebacker Wyatt Cahill Cerberus among the key pieces. The quarterback competition is unsettled, but the Titans have enough experience to stay in the playoff picture.

The fourth spot is a genuine battle. Fort Bend Kempner brings back quarterback Deuce the Guard for a third season and boasts what could be the district's best cornerback duo in Jayden and Javion Smallwood, but needs another offensive weapon to take pressure off its signal-caller. Lamar Consolidated returns 12 starters — including receiver Isaiah Corbin — from a three-win team, while Terry brings back 13 starters and dynamic playmaker Kaden Jones. Step's final four: Crawford, Fort Bend Marshall, Victoria West, and Fort Bend Kempner — three of four playoff spots going to Fort Bend ISD schools.