Before the 2026 Texas High School Football season kicked off, Texas HS Football Editor in Chief KP Kelly sat down with Medina Valley head football coach and boys athletic coordinator Andrew Britt at the Hudl booth during the THSCA Coaching School and Convention.
At the time, the Panthers were still roughly a month away from their August 28 opener against Churchill. Britt was preparing Medina Valley for a challenging non-district schedule that included three opponents from the 6A level. Now that the season is underway, the conversation provides a look back at what Britt believed would define his team before the first snap.
Britt entered the season following a successful 2025 campaign that earned him District 30-6A Coach of the Year honors. Since taking over the program in March 2023, he has continued reshaping Medina Valley while building around the culture already established in Castroville.
From Louisiana to Medina Valley
Britt’s path to Medina Valley began in Louisiana.
He originally hoped to play college baseball before eventually moving toward strength and conditioning. While earning his master’s degree at Louisiana Tech, Britt worked with both the baseball and football programs and discovered that coaching was where he wanted to be.
That decision eventually brought him to San Antonio, where he spent about 14 years in Northside ISD. Much of that time came at Stevens High School, including a stint as offensive coordinator.
The move to Medina Valley was also personal. Britt’s wife graduated from Medina Valley High School, and the family lives in Castroville. He eventually joined the Panthers’ staff before taking over the head coaching position.
His offensive background has helped shape a Medina Valley program that has evolved schematically in recent seasons. The Panthers have incorporated elements of traditional Slot-T football alongside modern spread concepts, giving opponents multiple styles to prepare for.
Medina Valley Treats Football as a Year-Round Process
Like many coaches, Britt does not see much of a true offseason anymore.
He believes successful programs require year-round development, although he also recognizes the importance of giving players and coaches time away. Medina Valley intentionally backed off during parts of June before beginning to ramp football activities back up in July.
That balance fits Britt’s broader philosophy.
His background in strength and conditioning might suggest that summer preparation revolves around lifting and running. However, Britt told Kelly that his priorities have expanded as he has gained experience.
Nutrition, hydration and sleep now receive just as much attention.
Many Medina Valley athletes leave workouts and head directly to summer jobs, sometimes working outside for hours. Britt knows that another difficult workout does little good if players are not eating, drinking and recovering properly.
That approach also reflects the larger emphasis Britt has placed on developing the complete athlete. Physical development matters, but so do mindset, recovery and the habits players build away from football.
Hudl Has Become Part of Medina Valley’s Daily Routine
Britt freely admits that technology is not his specialty.
During the interview, he joked that he would gladly return to an old Nokia phone if someone would let him. His coaching staff, however, has embraced the technology available to modern programs.
Medina Valley has used Hudl extensively for football while expanding its use throughout the athletic department. Britt pointed to improvements in uploading film, organizing data and reviewing video as some of the biggest advantages for coaches.
The technology extends beyond football.
Medina Valley has Hudl Focus cameras in its gym and uses video tools with sports such as volleyball, baseball and softball. The athletic department also purchased a travel camera for soccer, giving another program access to consistent video coverage.
For the football team, film becomes part of the daily routine during the season.
Every player has an account and access through the Hudl app. Coaches can send practice or game film directly to athletes, often once or twice per day during the season.
Britt’s staff also uses presentations to distribute information before players ever arrive at practice. Install calendars and other preparation materials can be sent directly to players, giving motivated athletes an opportunity to get ahead.
And while Britt may not formally grade players on film-watching time, the coaches know who is using it.
He made it clear that the starting quarterback, in particular, needs to be studying film. Britt also credited Medina Valley’s players for generally buying into that responsibility and taking preparation seriously.
Technology Still Has to Serve Football
Medina Valley also uses other tools, including Sky Coach for replay and Championship Analytics to help with situational decisions and play-calling sequences.
Still, Britt does not view technology as a replacement for coaching.
The goal is to give coaches and players better information and allow them to process it more efficiently. Medina Valley was also exploring improved sideline and halftime video setups so coaches could review film without relying on portable projectors and improvised locker-room screens.
That progression is remarkable considering how quickly high school football has moved from VHS tapes and television carts to players watching practice film directly on their phones.
Britt Was Most Excited to See the Team Develop
When Kelly asked Britt what he was looking forward to most before the season, the answer was not a specific win total or playoff round.
It was seeing the team develop.
Britt described the 2025 Panthers as a gritty group. His biggest question entering 2026 was how the new team would come together through fall camp, scrimmages and the opening weeks of competition.
He wanted to see who emerged as leaders at quarterback, along the offensive line, on the defensive front and throughout the secondary.
More than anything, Britt wanted the Panthers to support one another and enjoy the process.
The goal was to build a team capable of staying together long enough to enjoy several months of meaningful football.
The season has now started, but Britt’s preseason message remains a useful window into the program Medina Valley is trying to build: prepared, physical, connected and increasingly comfortable using both old-school football principles and modern technology.
