TNG Timeline: DeSoto Eagles
Close calls, tough bounces, instability behind them, Eagles are looking up for '22
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 first few releases in our TNG Timeline series, those can be accessed here… Historical Superlatives. Without further ado, let’s take a look at our next program in the spotlight, the 2016 State Champs.
From the later 90s into the new millennium in the early 2000s, Desoto has firmly established itself as one of the foremost modern programs in the state of Texas for consistently high level talent. This area of South Dallas, with Cedar Hill and Duncanville for neighbors among others, is unrivaled by most of the United States. Perhaps only Miami (Dade County) in Florida boasts a similar concentration of NFL pedigree talent in an urban/suburban setting.
From Von Miller to Dontre Wilson, Desoto has had few equals in the talent department over the past 20 plus years. The program achieved its apex in the 2017 state championship win over Cibolo Steele, and it will be among the favorites to win another in 2022.
Perhaps the only thing that’s stopped this program from putting more gold trophies in the cabinet has been the often fierce competition that comes with being a Region 2 program in Division 1 or Division 2. This was clearly a factor in the seasons where the Eagles ran into Kyler Murray’s Allen juggernaut.
Region 2 is the most diverse in all of Texas in that it includes (and has included) schools from the Dallas, Houston, Austin and greater Central Texas areas. Despite the challenges, Desoto has managed to put itself in the conversation every season in the DFW area as well as the state playoffs discussion
When looking at DeSoto’s program history within the timeline above, it’s hard not to envision a program that could’ve won multiple titles during that span. First, a special hat-tip goes to the 2016 Eagles, led by star quarterback Shawn Robinson, who brought home DeSoto’s first ever state championship trophy following several years of playoff heartbreak on the southside of Dallas. We’re talking about a program that was tied with and/or held a very late leads against the Kyler Murray led Allen Eagles in the playoffs, two years in a row. The season after Kyler graduated, the two programs met once again in the playoffs only for DeSoto to miss a game tying extra point. To this day, it’s still hard to believe the manner in which the tides turned against DeSoto in all three situations (video evidence below that’s worth a few minutes of your time).
The Eagles are #4 in our Preseason Top 50.
Below are some video clips of the annotated moments in the chart above…
2013-2015: A series of highly unfortunate and costly bounces…
Desmond White:
Dontre Wilson:
2016: State Champs!
2017: State Championship winning head coach immediately on the hot seat?! Todd Peterman vs. DeSoto ISD board as discussed by Greg Tepper and the DCTF crew at the time.
Johntay Cook II: Monster year incoming…
Outstanding info, analysis, and great summation of Eagles FB Program and post season. Desmond White despite his size was a fierce competitor and statistically the second best quarterback in Eagle history, Ryan Polite #1 with 10k +passing yards. Eagle Team was the only team that matched up with Allen with captain Kryptonite Murray being the difference in all match ups.