The purpose of this feature is to help provide some historical context behind the Elo ratings referenced throughout the blog - methodology/primer here.
If you’ve missed the previous releases in our TNG Timeline series, those can be accessed here… Historical Superlatives. Next up, a program heading into only its 16th season overall - ten of those in the top classification - which is very young compared to the company it finds itself in, our preseason #6 ranked Denton Guyer Wildcats.
An immediate question comes to mind when looking at the short history of the Guyer program: What in the Denton water supply produces power five D1 level recruits at quarterback so regularly? As you’ll see in upcoming timelines, programs like Southlake Carroll and Lake Travis are no strangers when it comes to producing top quarterbacks, in addition to the obvious, Austin Westlake. However, in a short period of time, Guyer is second to none for producing elite signal callers. Check out this list:
J.W. Walsh - Oklahoma State, national top 100 recruit (all positions)
Jerrod Heard - Texas, national top 100
Shawn Robinson - TCU, national top 250
Eli Stowers - Texas A&M, national top 250
Jackson Arnold - committed to OU, national top 20
According to the recruiting gurus, the best one in terms of NFL attributes is on campus now with his team set up very well to make another (very likely) D2 run.
We’ve seen some fast starts by other programs in the past, but given Guyer’s revolving door of talent at quarterback and the skills, the Wildcats don’t profile as a program that’ll slow down anytime soon.
Program Resume:
2006 & 2007: 1-19
2008 & 2009 : State Semifinals (4A)
2010: State Runner-up
2012 & 2013: State Champions (4A)
2019: State Runner-up
2020: State Semifinalist
2021: State Runner-up
While their most notable success has come in 4A so far, they’ve now stacked up multiple state title appearances and a state semifinal appearance over the last three seasons in 6A. This is a program that is learning exactly what it takes to win at the highest level and 2022 could provide the breakthrough.
There is no way to classify Guyer’s rise up the rankings of elite Texas high school football programs over the past decade and change as anything other than meteoric. John Walsh led the new program through its first 14 seasons compiling 136 wins to 51 losses. Walsh led the program to its first two state championships and four state finals appearances overall. When Walsh resigned in 2020, Guyer was an elite job in Texas.
Rodney Webb, previously at Rockwall, stepped into to lead the program after Walsh. Webb led Guyer to 25 wins over two seasons, including another state finals appearance (the school’s fifth), before retiring from coaching earlier this year in order to accept the Athletic Director job at Highland Park.
Previous Guyer defensive coordinator Reed Heim then was promoted from within to become the school’s third ever head football coach, and he inherits a full cupboard of talent ready to push this program further in 2022.
Denton Guyer enters 2022 as our #6 rated team: TNG Preseason Top 50
See below for videos corresponding to the chart annotations above:
2010: Second half of the state finals loss in their first season in the highest classification. #28 for Steele was 5-star RB Malcolm Brown (Steele/Texas/Rams/Dolphins).
2012: Guyer wins their first state championship in school history. Jerrod Heard accounted for 7 touchdowns vs. Georgetown. (4A)
2013: Wildcats go back-to-back with a 31-14 win over San Antonio Brennan. (4A)
2019: Star QB Eli Stowers injures knee on the first drive of the game. Current Guyer QB Jackson Arnold was forced into his first Varsity action as a Freshman. Tough break for the Wildcats to say the least. Westlake shut them out.
2021: In a similar fate as several other good teams of late, Wildcats unfortunately ran into one of the greatest Texas High School football teams of all time.
J.W. Walsh Highlights:
Jerrod Heard Highlights:
Shawn Robinson Highlights:
Eli Stowers Highlights:
Jackson Arnold Highlights: