High schools start football practice

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Eight months removed from its second state championship in seven years, Wimberley, as well as a handful of other Central Texas high schools, began their quest to be crowed the best in the state for the 2012 season.

Schools that didn't hold spring practices were allowed to start practice Monday, while the rest of the state starts practice Aug. 13.

Wimberley's road to repeating as state champs began early Monday morning. But unlike last year, there's far more pressure on the Texans this season after going 15-0 last year.

"I think it puts a big ole target on your back," Wimberley head coach Weldon Nelms said. "At the same time, I think that you want your kids to still live up to expectations that you put up there high for them because you're not gonna get to the top unless you start from square one and try to believe in that."

Even with the added pressure, Connor Kothman was so excited to start the repeat campaign he couldn't even sleep.

"You know what i did, I woke up at 5:30, jumped out of the bed, jumped into the hot tub, got my mind right, got up here pretty early," Kothman said. "Just came out here ready to go."

In Austin, LBJ also started its season Monday. 

Last year, the Jaguars won district 26-4A with a perfect record in league play, and just like Wimberley, LBJ couldn't couldn't get on the field soon enough.

"I'm so excited," Sebastian Canizares said. "We've all been waiting for it for a very long time. We're all, like, getting rowdy. Just like pumped, just for the season to start."

But unlike last year, Canizares and the rest of the Jaguars will be trying to repeat as district champs under a new head coach.

Keith Willis replaces the departed Demo Odems, and while the players focus may be on winning another district championship, Willis is focused on something else.

"The thing we talk about is character," Willis said. "Character will prevail every day. And so, we don't worry so much about winning. We worry about being winners."