Stephenville (Texas) has a storied high school football program and it finally has the stadium to match. This season, the Yellowjackets debuted Mike Copeland Field at Art Briles Stadium, a brand-new $40-million turf stadium. The venue is of course named after one of the program’s most notable — and controversial — coaches ever in Briles, […]
Stephenville (Texas) has a storied high school football program and it finally has the stadium to match.
This season, the Yellowjackets debuted Mike Copeland Field at Art Briles Stadium, a brand-new $40-million turf stadium. The venue is of course named after one of the program’s most notable — and controversial — coaches ever in Briles, a longtime Lone Star State stalwart on the gridiron.
For the last 74 years, Stephenville had been sharing Memorial Stadium with Tarleton State. It now has its own home — and things are off to a good start.
In the first game at their new digs on Sept. 5, the Yellowjackets pasted Everman 45-0. They’ve followed that up with a 52-13 home win over Wylie, then a 64-28 victory over La Vega last week. That’s a combined score of 161-41. So far, so good.
Stephenville is now 5-0 on the season and ranks as the No. 66 team nationally and No. 18 in Texas, according to the Massey Ratings. It now has a massive interstate clash on deck this week as Ruston, the No. 2 team in Louisiana, comes to the new stadium.
Briles remains infamous at Stephenville
Before he was a touted college football coach, Briles was dominant at the prep level. He took over the Stephenville head coaching job in 1988 and held the post til 1999. He snapped a playoff drought that extended three decades, won back-to-back 4A state titles and finished his tenure with a 135-29-2 record. He was inducted in the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Briles left Stephenville for Texas Tech, then landed his first college head coaching job in 2003 at Houston. He made the move to Baylor in 2008 and brought the Bears back to prominence, but his time in Waco was marred and came to a screeching halt in 2015. Amid a sexual assault scandal involving players, Briles was fired for “failure to act” after an independent law firm reviewed how the program handled the incidents.
He and Copeland were honorary captains at the stadium’s debut last month. Copeland has been involved with Stephenville athletics for decades and served as the head football coach from 2000-02.
How to Follow Texas High School Football
For Texas high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the state, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Lone Star State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement across the state of Texas.
Category: General Sports
