How the Blake Bengals “Tackle” the Off-Season: A Conversation with Head Coach Mr. Marshall

Blake Football had a successful 2024-2025 season. With graduating seniors moving on to the next level and new faces joining the program, everyone is curious about the team’s stance for next season (2025-2026). The Blake Beat sat down with head coach, Mr. Byron Marshall, to ask a few questions about the program’s goals and aspirations for the next season, and to gain an exclusive insight into the team’s off-season preparations. 

Walking into the College and Career Center, where Blake Football’s head coach, Mr. Bryon Marshall, performs his tasks as Blake’s information coordinator. Some of his players were hanging out in his room during the lunch period. It seems that the team is still maintaining their togetherness and chemistry from last season. Coach Marshall asked them to clear the room to begin the interview.

First, when asked what the key priorities for the team were and what areas of weakness from last season the coaches and players planned on addressing, Coach Marshall shared that “everybody is trying to get bigger, faster, and stronger.” He said that the team has been working out since January and is “(preparing) to get ready for the summertime shortly.” Coach Marshall thinks that  “the biggest area of improvement (as coaches) is holding everyone accountable.” He stated that it’s something the staff didn’t do well last season, and they began “implementing it more” back in January when workouts began. He added that “it’s been showing good results so far.” 

With the tasks of the school day and offseason workouts beginning in a key academic time frame for students (at the end of the grading period), The Blake Beat was curious to know how Coach Marshall keeps players both engaged in workouts and the gym while also balancing schoolwork, during the season and offseason. He shared that during the off-season, “they don’t know what they’re getting into.” The coaches like to keep the suspense of what the workouts are going to be each day and share with the players what they will be doing on the day of the physical workout. “That’s how we keep them engaged,” Coach Marshall added. With the educational aspect, Coach Marshall shared that he is very big on academics. “We check our players’ grades pretty much every two weeks in the off-season.” The coaching staff wants players to “understand that grades are important, not just during the season, but year-round,” he noted. Coach Marshall says that during the actual season, grades are checked every week and that Blake Football players “know that if you don’t have good grades, you don’t practice, and if you don’t practice, you don’t play.” This is the “standard” that Coach Marshall has had for the program for the “last four years,” he has been the head coach at Blake. 

Blake football and other school-wide athletic programs will transition into the 4A division next year. When asked if there were any preparations in the off-season being made to prepare players for the upcoming change of schedule, Coach Marshall said that the team got the schedule in February and “started watching film on [opponents], and got ready mentally for what’s to expect.” He added, “The biggest thing is getting [our team] ready physically in the weight room, and just showing them what it’s going to take to go from the 3A to a 4A team since that is where we will be playing now.” 

With the loss of five key graduating seniors who have all moved on to the next level, The Blake Beat wanted to know what additions the staff planned on making to rotations and what will change for the Bengals. Coach Marshall tells us that he’s “just hoping that the younger group steps up.” He speaks about the incoming 9th graders and how, “Transfers are a big thing around the county.” Coach Marshall says that for Blake, “[we’ll] just coach the guys we have.” He speaks on “developing them, so that way you know they can take on the next step.” He was clear that he doesn’t “ask them to be those 5 [graduating seniors],” he “asks them to be themselves.” This is what the Blake Football program is focusing on: “making the best version of themselves.”

To end the conversation, The Blake Beat asked Coach Marshall what the main goals are for the program next year and what he is most looking forward to. He said, “I’m most looking forward to the challenge without the group that I’ve had for the last three and a half, four years.” When asked about the team’s goals for next season, Coach Marshall emphasized that every year the team’s goal will remain the same: “Win the state championship, win the regional championship, win the division, and win every game at home.” 

The Blake Beat thanks Coach Marshall for this interview and wishes Blake Football the best of luck for the 2025-2026 season!